Big clutch question

datbacker59 · 10-20-2006, 12:20 AM

hey i have a noob question.

when i am driving about 40 mph in 4th gear and i slow down i put it into neutral then i put it into 2nd gear at 20 mph without rev matching is this bad for my clutch?

becuase i just read somethin about double clutching and i dont know if what i am doing is wrong

any insight would be appreciated thanks

Intrepid175 · 10-20-2006, 01:30 AM

What you're doing isn't, in and of itself, putting any adverse wear and tear on the clutch. What you are putting added pressure on is the transmission synchronizers. Letting the car coast in neutral for that kind of time, I'm assuming you're letting the engine drop off to idle speeds, isn't a good thing to do. The engine side of the transmission will also slow down relative to the wheel side of the transmission and when you do shift into 2nd, the synchronizers are working overtime to speed things up until all the rotating parts are spinning together so they can mesh together without grinding on each other.

It's better to simply leave the transmission in 4th gear and let it slow down on engine compression. When you do get to down to a speed where you want to shift to second, just do it then. It'll be a lot easier on the transmission internals in the long run.

Also, assuming you are letting the engine drop to idle, when you do put the tranmission in 2nd, do you use the clutch to speed the engine back up again? If so, "that" is putting a lot of wear and tear on the clutch that it shouldn't have to put up with. Generally speaking, it's considered bad practice to put the transmission in neutral while the car is coasting with any kind of speed. It can be harder on the transmission itself when you need to reengage a gear and it leaves you vulnerable in case an unexpected situation arrises where you need to accelerate in a hurry. You never know what some idiot near you is going to do. Do you ever put an automatic equipped car in neutral under similar circumstances? If not, then why do it with the manual?

Drive Safe,
Steve R.

datbacker59 · 10-20-2006, 09:32 AM

hey thanks that really does explain everything

my friend was trying to explain to me that it hurts ur "free wheel" his father said but now i know not to put it in neutral!!!

10-20-2006, 12:20 AM	#1 (permalink)
datbacker59 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: New York Age: 20 Posts: 2,276 Its a Live2Hustle Thang... iTrader: 3 / 100%	Big clutch question hey i have a noob question. when i am driving about 40 mph in 4th gear and i slow down i put it into neutral then i put it into 2nd gear at 20 mph without rev matching is this bad for my clutch? becuase i just read somethin about double clutching and i dont know if what i am doing is wrong any insight would be appreciated thanks

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10-20-2006, 01:30 AM	#2 (permalink)
Intrepid175 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Texas City, TX Posts: 340 Steve iTrader: 0 / 0%	What you're doing isn't, in and of itself, putting any adverse wear and tear on the clutch. What you are putting added pressure on is the transmission synchronizers. Letting the car coast in neutral for that kind of time, I'm assuming you're letting the engine drop off to idle speeds, isn't a good thing to do. The engine side of the transmission will also slow down relative to the wheel side of the transmission and when you do shift into 2nd, the synchronizers are working overtime to speed things up until all the rotating parts are spinning together so they can mesh together without grinding on each other. It's better to simply leave the transmission in 4th gear and let it slow down on engine compression. When you do get to down to a speed where you want to shift to second, just do it then. It'll be a lot easier on the transmission internals in the long run. Also, assuming you are letting the engine drop to idle, when you do put the tranmission in 2nd, do you use the clutch to speed the engine back up again? If so, "that" is putting a lot of wear and tear on the clutch that it shouldn't have to put up with. Generally speaking, it's considered bad practice to put the transmission in neutral while the car is coasting with any kind of speed. It can be harder on the transmission itself when you need to reengage a gear and it leaves you vulnerable in case an unexpected situation arrises where you need to accelerate in a hurry. You never know what some idiot near you is going to do. Do you ever put an automatic equipped car in neutral under similar circumstances? If not, then why do it with the manual? Drive Safe, Steve R.

10-20-2006, 09:32 AM	#3 (permalink)
datbacker59 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: New York Age: 20 Posts: 2,276 Its a Live2Hustle Thang... iTrader: 3 / 100%	hey thanks that really does explain everything my friend was trying to explain to me that it hurts ur "free wheel" his father said but now i know not to put it in neutral!!!