Re: shoot the shift

["Peter Loron" <peterl@cnw.com>]

Well, slipping the clutch into a lower gear to get a braking effect does put
wear on the clutch and the synchros in the transmission. I use just the
brakes to slow the car down (if just letting off the gas isn't sufficient).
To properly set the car up for a corner that you have to slow down for and
thus will want to get on the gas in a lower gear as your are exiting, you
need to shift smoothly to avoid unsettling the car on it's suspension. A
double clutch, rev-matched downshift is what you're looking for. Basically
you:

1. Begin braking in such a way that you can maintain steady pressure on the
brake pedal while simoultaneously being able to smoothly modulate the gas
pedal. AKA heel & toe...I actually put the left side of my foot on the brake
and roll at the ankle...

2. Push in the clutch and put the stick into neutral.

3. Let the clutch out and blip the throttle to bring the engine and
transmission input shaft speeds up to the speed they will need to be when
you get to the next step.

4. Quickly push the clutch in, move the stick to the lower gear, and let the
clutch back out. You need to do this fairly quickly to make sure that the
engine and transmission are still spinning at the correct speed.

Remember, all that is taking place while you're braking, and you want to get
it all done before you start turning, helping to insure that the car is
settled on it's suspension for the turn. It also minimizes wear on the
clutch and transmission synchros.

If you can do all that (I still can't reliably do it) smoothly and quickly
so the car doesn't jerk at all when you complete step 4, then you're in
business.

Check out these URLs for a more detailed description:

http://staff.connect.com.au/ianh/318ti/1997-10/msg00461.html
http://staff.connect.com.au/ianh/318ti/1997-10/msg00460.html
http://staff.connect.com.au/ianh/318ti/1997-11/msg00020.html
http://staff.connect.com.au/ianh/318ti/1997-11/msg00010.html
http://staff.connect.com.au/ianh/318ti/1997-11/msg00011.html


-Pete


-----Original Message-----
From: MAOberer@aol.com <MAOberer@aol.com>
To: gti-vr6@dev.tivoli.com <gti-vr6@dev.tivoli.com>; jettaglx@igtc.COM
<jettaglx@igtc.COM>
Date: Thursday, July 30, 1998 3:02 PM
Subject: shoot the shift


>Question for the list===>
>  What does everyone think about downshifting to slow down, like coming up
to
>a light or slowing down off the high way?  Does that create a lot of
excessive
>wear on the engine and clutch, etc?  I'm just wondering if its better to
just
>hit the brakes or to downshift to slow down.
>
>thanx
>Matt
>95 jetta GLX
>http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Garage/5464
>