your technique please

[zolong]

I was curious about personal preferences among those drivers who double clutch when down shifting in their Z.

First, do you truly double clutch or just pop the revs while the clutch is in. I have always used the full double clutch but have been told not to bother. Since it’s faster to just blip the revs while the clutch is in is this preferable?

Second, does anyone really toe heel in their Z or do you roll the throttle with the side of your foot. I use the side of my foot and don’t understand how I could contort myself to hit the gas with my toes and the brake with my heel. I like to try different ways to drive and was wondering if I was missing something good.

Thanks in advance for insight into your technique.

[2002 Z my 6]

I do not truly double clutch the Z. I found that the revs drop too quickly to allow me to hit the clutch and go to the next gear. That said, a true double clutch will still be marginally better for your synchros.

Now I just match revs with the clutch depressed. That technique doesn't match the gearbox speeds before the gears are engaged, but it does smooth things out considerably.

I've always used the sides of my feet to match revs. The pedals are nicely positioned for it. Hope this helps.

[ZO6/Les]

There is no need to double clutch a syncronized transmission. There is some merit to bliping the gas to reduce clutch wear a bit, frankly I don't think it is necessary.

Heel and toe technique is how you describe your method, i.e. rolling the side of the foot to hit the gas while maintaining contact with the brake.

Les

[Lambinator]

I both double clutch and heel-and-toe on downshifts.

I have to somewhat disagree with Les. While synchromesh trannies are designed to be able to be downshifted without double clutching, double clutching WILL reduce wear on the dogrings/synchros in the tranny.

[CrazedZ06]

You don't need to double clutch a synchro'd tranny; however, you do need to match the Engine RPMs with the rear end's RPMs to avoid violent jerks with the car as well as helping to preserve the tranny whenever downshifting (i.e. the heel-n-toe technique- in actuality all you are using is the ball of your foot to work the gas and brake pedal (no heel involved))

If you don't believe it necessary to match up the RPMs, I invite you to downshift in the middle of a turn when you are cornering near the car's limit...just let me know how many times you spin

[Jayzvette]

I thought double clutching was for Peterbuilts

[Lambinator]

You are thinking of jakebrakes!

[WB6HRO]

I double clutch, old habit, and reduces wear on sycro's and dog rings.

It is also good practice for when a clutch cable breaks (I had a cable clutch on my turbo corvair) or clutch fails to release. You can drive it home up and down shifting!

I heel toe my 62, but the Z06 is more of a roll to the right.

Took some getting used to the Z06 brakes though, the full metalic drum brakes on the 62 are alot harder to push. Almost put myself through the windshield the first time I tried it in the Z06!

[CarToys]

Originally posted by zolong
Second, does anyone really toe heel in their Z or do you roll the throttle with the side of your foot. I use the side of my foot and don’t understand how I could contort myself to hit the gas with my toes and the brake with my heel. I like to try different ways to drive and was wondering if I was missing something good.

I use the side of my foot and just blip the throttle. Be careful with that though.

By the way, the classic heel and toe is toe on the brake and heel on the throttle not the other way around.

[Subdriver]

I blip the throttel on every downshift without double clutching and can get nice smooth downshifts. I personally don't find it necessary to double clutch.
You have heel toe backwards. In a true heel toe, your toe is on the brake and your heel is on the gas. In the Z06, I am in between a heel toe and roll your foot to the right. My big toe is on the brake and the right edge of my foot is on the gas. I have been doing it so long I don't even think about it anymore.

[Frost]

Hey subdriver,
Has the smell gotten any better down in Saint Marys, GA? Used to live in Kings Bay and went to school in St. Marys.

[Manatee]

I'm lazy and old - I rely on the synchronizers for both upshifts and downshifts.

[TITANS/Z]

I don't double clutch as this does not seem to be necessary. I do blip the throttle while my foot is on the brakes by rolling to the right and catching the throttle with the side of my shoes. The best way to practice this is on straight roads when you approach a stop sign/light. It saves on clutch wear and helps to keep the car smooth right before a turn. Eventually, you will do this by habit when downshifting into turns. Get it right on straights first because you can spin if you don't match revs in the middle of a turn. (Oh yeah, the shoes make a difference, too. My English dress shoes are wider than my Simpson racing shoes and therefore are easier to heel-toe with. I'm thinking of fabricating an extension to be bolted to the throttle.) Have fun!

[TITANS/Z]

Originally posted by TITANS/Z
The best way to practice this is on straight roads when you approach a stop sign/light. It saves on clutch wear and helps to keep the car smooth right before a turn. Eventually, you will do this by habit when downshifting into turns. Get it right on straights first because you can spin if you don't match revs in the middle of a turn.

I should also add that once you get it down in the turns, you no longer need to practice on straights and you should just coast to a stop, using your brakes. Also, be sure that no one is directly behind you when you practice your downshifting technique coming up to a stop. Safe driving!

[TITANS/Z]

The reason we downshift in a turn is so that we can accelerate out of it faster, with more torque. If you really don't care about this, don't bother downshifting.