Upshifting and Downshifting

[eslai]

Originally Posted by SD987

I notice a surprising number of stick drivers who don't let the engine wind down and push in the clutch as soon, or too early as they start braking/decelerating. Letting the engine wind down dramatically improves brake performance and wear by using engine compression to help slow the vehicle. I’m not talking about engine braking, I’m talking about coasting/slowing with a gear engaged; not in neutral.

Ah yeah, this is important--a lot of people coast around in neutral without realizing that this is dangerous. You can't get out of the way of someone if you're in neutral!

Originally Posted by SD987

The above being said, I think the biggest culprit to poor clutch/transmission life is general technique. It amazes me that people can go their whole lives and be crappy shifters...you want to shift with consistency and maximize your performance.

This is key, really. You can't heel-toe, rev-match, or any of that effectively if you aren't consistent with it. I know a lot of guys that drive around like hotshots but half of the time, they screw up their shifts... No good.

[deliriousga]

Originally Posted by eslai

Ah yeah, this is important--a lot of people coast around in neutral without realizing that this is dangerous. You can't get out of the way of someone if you're in neutral!

In GA, it's illegal to do this because of the reason you stated.

Originally Posted by eslai

This is key, really. You can't heel-toe, rev-match, or any of that effectively if you aren't consistent with it. I know a lot of guys that drive around like hotshots but half of the time, they screw up their shifts... No good.

Sooooo true. I don't know how to "heel-toe" but with the rev-match my wife was not a happy camper as I figured out the revs. Lots of feeling and listening to do, but you can't change driving style when you have a passenger. You'll never get it right that way.

[limoncello]

an informative site -

http://www.waycoolinc.com/z3/essentials/fixit/heeltoe/shifting.htm

the hard part is finding a place to practice. a deserted stretch of road is good. the track is challenging because there's a lot of other things going on.

at a track, you can hear the good shifters by the smooth transition from one frquency to another, and by the lack of "jump" in the car during downshifts. easy to explain, easy to understand, hard to master.