All You Need To Know About Double Clutching

Double clutching can be defined as a technique that involves shifting the gears by using the clutch pedal twice. It aims to match the rotational speed of the engine’s input shaft to the rotational speed of the gear desired by the driver. You do not need to use this technique while racing but this technique can be used to get the perfect match of speed engine.

You can read this guide to know what double clutching is and what is its purpose. You will also come to know whether it is necessary to use this technique or not. You should know what systems of your vehicle are involved in the double-clutching technique. These systems include the clutch, the engine, and the transmission.

Process of Double Clutching

The process of double-clutching involves moving one clutch to pull it out of gear and moving the other clutch to pull it back into the next gear. As the movement of clutches is involved two times in this process, that’s why we call it double clutching.

You need to push the clutch pedal down to slide it into the gear. Next, you need to push the clutch pedal to slide it out. At last, you need to double-clutch again for sliding it back into the next gear. It is a small process of double clutching.

Guidelines for Double Clutching

You need to follow some important tips that could help you undergo the double-clutching technique on your vehicle. For example, you should not apply too much pressure on the clutch or push it too hard otherwise you will grind a gear or damage it badly.

You should know that you will get engaged with the clutch brake if you slam the pedal to the floor. It is recommended to ease the clutch pedal in and out smoothly and firmly.  In this way, you will put the right amount of pressure on the pedal and it will also be easy to operate.

Make sure you do not dump the clutch when you are letting the clutch up. Keep in mind that you should not use a rapid leg movement when you are easing the clutch in and out. So, double-clutching greatly depends upon the pressure applied to the clutch.

It is recommended not to dump the clutch all at once when you are undergoing the double-clutching technique. It is because this technique includes engaging the clutch for pulling out the gear, letting the clutch out, and again engaging it for shifting it to your desired gear.

Importance of Double Clutching

There is a great importance of double-clutching as it includes matching the speed of the engine with the gear you are interested to change into. But you should know that it can directly impact the speed of the engine where it is not in gear by increasing it. You must keep in mind that the purpose of double-clutching is not to accelerate your vehicle.

When you are changing up the gears, the speed of the engine is dropped during the process of lifting off the accelerator and pressing the clutch. In this situation, you can easily change it to a higher gear.

The use of the double-clutching technique is also included in the testing requirement when you apply to get a driver’s license. It is more important for truck drivers who often need to use this technique. They are taught how to shift the gears without using the clutch or by using the clutch.

How Double Clutching is Redundant?

Double clutching is a technique that is redundant in nature. It is because synchronizers are playing a vital role in incorporating the double-clutching process into their mechanics. The synchronizers are present between the clutch and the gears and help in matching their speeds without using advanced shifting techniques.

Today, the double-clutching technique is being used by old vehicles or large vehicles like trucks, buses, etc. These are the vehicles that lack synchronizers. There are some other examples where this technique can be used such as for racing. You should not use this technique in everyday road use.

Is Double Clutching Difficult?

No doubt, it is a little bit tricky to perform the double-clutching technique. It is because different heavy and large vehicles have different clutch springs that play a vital role in this technique. You must know how to handle different types of clutches. The clutch springs are engaged and disengaged with the clutch during this technique.

You must know how much pressure is required by a specified type of clutch. If you do not know about the right amount of pressure to apply, you may grind or damage the gear. Make sure you do not push it too hard or too smoothly. Just know about the right amount of pressure to apply depending upon your vehicle and its clutch springs.

Practicing Double Clutching at Home

You can practice the technique of double-clutching at home without the help of any professional or any ordinary person. For practicing, you must have your own vehicle so that if you make any mistake or make any damage, it would be done to your own vehicle, not any others.

You need to engage and then disengage the clutch of your vehicle two times for every change of the gear. When you are performing this technique, you need to push in the clutch and take the gear shift out of the gear.

Then you have to release the clutch and press it again. Next, you need to shift the gear shift into another gear. At last, you should release the clutch. In this way, you can practice double-clutching at your home. You can practice it once a day or five times a week. It depends upon your learning skills.

Double Clutching VS Granny Shifting

The major difference between double-clutching and granny shifting is that the double-clutching technique lets you disengage the transmission from your vehicle’s engine if you are going down through the gears. It allows you to blip the revs for matching the speed of the engine with the speed of the wheel before slotting down into the next gear.

On the other hand, granny shifting is similar to the double-clutching technique but it involves upshifting or downshifting through a manual transmission’s gears. We can call it a short-shifting of the gears which can be performed on ordinary vehicles like cars. Deceleration is also involved in the granny shifting technique.

Vehicles Best for Double Clutching

There are many vehicles out there in the market that are best for double-clutching and are enriched with a dual-clutch transmission. Such vehicles can change gears easily and quickly. Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 comes with a dual clutching automatic transmission that comes with the fast-shifting feature and enhances the driver’s experience.

Similarly, the Porsche 911 Carrera is a sports car that lets you perform double-clutching when needed. It comes with Porsche dual-clutch gearbox that lets you shift the gears quickly without any issue. Some other cars that could let you perform the double-clutching technique efficiently are Coquette Classic, Comet, Mamba, Banshee 900R, Audi S3, Nissan GT-R, and many more. You must have a look at these cars and other heavy vehicles like trucks to enhance your experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Can you increase your vehicle’s speed using the double-clutching technique?

Double clutching does not aim to increase the acceleration of your vehicle but it helps to match the engine speed perfectly.

• Is it tricky to use the double-clutching technique?

Yes, it is not an easy task to double-clutch because different vehicles have different specifications and features like clutch springs. Thus, the amount of pressure to be applied to different types of clutches is also different.

• When do you need to double-clutch?

The double-clutching technique is needed to perform when you want to shift the gears.

• Is it worth it to double-clutch all the time?

It is not necessary to double-clutch your modern manual car. It is not good or bad for your car but it is assumed that the life of your car is extended due to the double-clutching technique.

• Do you recommend using the double-clutching technique for racing?

No, it is not recommended to use the double-clutching technique for racing purposes as it is not included in the needs of racing. But some racers use this technique to match the rotational speed of the input shaft with the rotational speed of the gear desired by the driver.

Conclusion

Double clutching is a technique that involves changing the gears quickly when needed. This guide has provided you with detail about double clutching and when it is needed. This technique is only suitable for old and heavy vehicles such as trucks, buses, etc. You must also know about the pressure to be applied to the clutches when performing this technique.

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