Re: Double Clutching!, Who needs it?

Posted by carla on Sep. 23, 1998 at 13:16:56

In Reply to: Re: Double Clutching!, Who needs it?
posted by Marco on Sep. 23, 1998 at 09:58:26

: The method descibed works only at slow speeds.It relys on some friction of the disengaged clutch and requires a higher engine rev to accomplish the same thing.If you coast down to 15-20mph before shifting down to second you will find some success with this method, but it will be impossible to accelerate until you have completed your downshift.
: Having grown up driving my A's in city traffic, I'm uneasy with that "window" of speed where acceleration is impossible or coasting into a turn and the car feels it wants to lean over.Depending on conditions, sometimes I downshift at 30-35 (my usual upshift point) and slow on compression going into a turn and accelerate out just like you would a modern car.
: I just depends on your own driving habits and what works for you.
interesting----- i'd say that kevin's da and marco are both right---- the prewar trucks (lorries, if you prefer) all had un-synchronised spur gear gearboxes which, with familiarity and practise, will change gear more quickly and easily than the synchronised type. the ford "a" gearbox, tho smaller, is the same in principle. (yes, i know that some of the later pre-war trucks had synchronised top gear, but most didn't)
a careful, skilled operator needn't use the clutch at all, once moving, but it takes awhile to develop the "feel" for the gears.
carla