I do it all the time..unless I want to save gas or something..but other than that, i think it's the only way to drive..and it makes the car a whole lot smoother when downshifting..

 

I rev-match and heel toe every downshift - on street or track. Double clutch occasionally - but have not found any real benefit in a fully synchromeshed transmission.

 

I think some of you guys are confusing rev-matching and double-clutching. Double-clutching won't make your shifts feel smoother to your passengers, that's rev-matching. The point of double clutching is to reduce wear on your syncros and make it easier to downshift. It has its roots in older transmissions that required it. Some people claim that double-clutching has been made obsolete with the newer syncro designs, I disagree. If you double-clutch, it is so much easier to put it into gear, that tells me that the syncros are working much less. Maybe it won't add a lot of life to your transmission, but it definitely doesn't hurt. Once you get used to double-clutching, it comes quite natural and I don't feel that it really slows me down much at all when I downshift.

You can feel the syncros at work if you try to put the transmission into first while you're still going fairly fast, like 15-20 mph while your engine is at idle. Basically, the difference in speed between the "output" side of the transmission and the "input" side is too great and the syncros can't compensate. If you double-clutch, you help match those speeds and the gear lever will slip right into gear. Once you get it into gear, you will need to also rev match to make the downshift smooth, though if you do the rev for the double-clutching correctly you don't have to rev match separately because you can catch the revs on the way down. When you do that it is a great feeling, a smooth downshift that sounds cool and doesn't upset the balance of the car at all.

I understand how this stuff works, but not in enough detail to be able to explain it too well, so I apologize if this post is kind of confusing. I just wanted to clarify that there is a big difference between double-clutching and rev-matching and although they are generally done together, they are separate and serve different purposes.

Mark

 

Yes I double clutch and revmatch everytime I downshift. I have been doing it for so many years and it is so natural to me, it feels weird to shift without doing so.

 

I started double-clutching a couple of years ago, and I totally agree that it's now just habit when I downshift!

 

I have just started experimenting with double-clutching and try it occasionally.

I have a question: A lot of the time I just slip it out of gear and into neutral without using the clutch (after adjusting the throttle appropriately, of course). At that point, I rev-match to the next gear, push in the clutch and select the next gear. Doesn't this accomplish the same thing as double-clutching? Or maybe I'm missing something.

 

I'm so early in the downshift game that it doesn't make a difference to me which way I go. If double clutching is better for the life of my Honda then I'll do it.