shifting without using clutch

Hasher76

Registered User
I did some searching but didnt come up with anything. I have done this in my last car that was a manual, not sure about how it affects this car. Is there any problem caused by shifting at the proper RPM and not using the clutch. The only issue is that sometimes it is hard to DS back into second but the clutch solves this issue.
 
I did some searching but didnt come up with anything. I have done this in my last car that was a manual, not sure about how it affects this car. Is there any problem caused by shifting at the proper RPM and not using the clutch. The only issue is that sometimes it is hard to DS back into second but the clutch solves this issue.

For racing or for cruising?

I tried it for cruising but I cannot get it right. More often then not.
On my mazda I can do it better.
 
for my car, I use 1500 rpm as the optimal shifting point. I then add 5 to 6 hundred rpm's from that point ( approx. at 2000 rpm's ) shift into neutral ,then wait till it falls back to 1500 and it should fall into gear. The more rpm your're at you must wait for a bigger drop in rpm's. Downshifting .... I cheat by adding more rpm ( up to about 2800 I think, partly because I'm usually going a little faster then I should ) and then apply a small amount of pressure on the shifter at the correct gear and it will click in. If you are trying to grab two gears ( from 4th to 2nd, up to 3500 i think ) I go by sound so it's difficult to remember exactly where the rpm's are at. If you here grinding...... I grab the next gear down.
Hope that's not too confusing.
 
BTW, I would never do that while racing. you have to wait for the drop in rpm's which, of course, takes time. clutch is always faster by far.
 
well when racing or maintaining higher RPM's, the next gears entrance RPM is much higher so it doesnt have to drop that much, its about timing and getting it in gear correctly.
So from everyones perspective so far, it causes no adverse affects on the trans.
 
BTW, I would never do that while racing. you have to wait for the drop in rpm's which, of course, takes time. clutch is always faster by far.

Plus you would have to let go of the gas to be able to pull it out of gear. Won't work good for racing. Power shifting is better.:) But if you ask me these trans' suck for that, at least over 5 grand.

As long as you don't grind it should be fine. I do it every once in awhile just to keep my skills up, so if the clutch ever goes out you can still get home.
 
Your supposed to float the gears in a rig. I've been doing it daily for 15 years. It's not in the book but all us truckers do it. It's much easier. Especially when you have 9 thru 18 speed transmissions with a high and a low side. Or a high & low side, and a splitter against the dash (never did like the super 10's) But, a big truck's tranny doesn't have a syncronizer in it. If the road speed, engine rpm's and gear selection aren't just right, you'll grind the gears all day & go nowhere. That's part of the drivers job. And doing so daily will cause no harm. In an automobile, the syncro is part of the tranny. It does the job for you. Thats why you can hold the clutch in at various speeds and pick your gear. Unless your 16, it'll go right in. The reason I write this is because, when I learned to float the gears in the truck, I thought it was awesome. Must work on my car too, right? Yeah! It was fun to show off. For a couple weeks. Then, I was rewarded with a clutch in multiple peices! :eek: I learned that the clutch in the car is there for a reason, use it. The "snowman" drives the KW, and the "bandit" drives the firebird. Take care of your vehicles and drive them properly, and they'll last forever.
 
I do it in the work truck just about every day I drive it (ranger with m5r2). I would not do it in my bird though. Like previously stated it takes some getting use to. Timing and RPM are crucial.
 
Leave the the clutchless shifting for heavy duty trucks and older jeeps without synchros, or it will get expensive quick. I drive a peterbilt with a 18 speed and only use the clutch to pull off from a stop, but would never try it in my 93' 5 spd supercoupe.
 
So, to answer your origional question. Shifting the gears without using the clutch in your supercoupe could destroy the clutch.
 
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