I'm gonna feel like a dork for asking, but..

what is "Double Clutching", and what's the big deal with it?

clutch in
shift to neutral
clutch out
clutch in
shift to next gear and match revs
clutch out

what it does is brings the clutch up to the speed of the engine and saves wear and tear on your clutch and synchros

Double clutching was something that helped line up the synchros on much older manual transmissions, and was mostly used for downshifts, not upshifting.

Vin Diesel, Torreto, whatever......don't listen to it.

New cars/transmissions have no problem with matching revs. Or with matching up the synchros. Learn your clutch, and don't double clutch. Use your gas pedal to match revs, not the so-called 'double clutch.'

I can't see it saving wear and tear either. Not with newer manual tranny's. Just clutch once, and match motor speed while the clutch is depressed.

Ahhhh, ok. A friend of mine has a Suzuki Aerio, and someone told him he should double clutch to get better performance. I told him that it sounded kinda jakey to me (the only manuals I have owned have both been older dodge trucks, and doing that never occured to me) and it might wind up tearing his tranny apart. So, thanks for the info :)

Ahhhh, ok. A friend of mine has a Suzuki Aerio, and someone told him he should double clutch to get better performance. I told him that it sounded kinda jakey to me (the only manuals I have owned have both been older dodge trucks, and doing that never occured to me) and it might wind up tearing his tranny apart. So, thanks for the info :)

Another known definition (from the 'rice' world) that I've heard goes something like this:

Assume you're going flat-out (as in racing). Clutch in, let off the gas maybe halfway. The engine should drop from full revs to about halfway, then dump the clutch into the next gear.

I've heard of it used mostly for (again) imports, where the powerband is much higher, this supposedly keeps the turbo from blowing off. Obviously it would plays hell on your clutch/tranny, which is why I've never done it.

Numbering the steps for clarity:
1. clutch in
2. shift to neutral
3. clutch out
4. clutch in
5. shift to next gear and match revs
6. clutch out

If you do these six steps, the time you waste for steps 4, 5 and 6 will probably cost you the race. Your opponent is not going to do six steps, he is going to change step 2 to 'ram it into the next gear', and you loose (if the cars are comparable). Double clutching was necessary for cars and trucks when they did not have syncronization rings. It is the only way you had to get it into the next gear (up or down) without grinding the gears.

I gave up street racing years ago after being pulled over, but when I did it (66 GTO) I just eased up on the throttle for a split second during the shift (long enough to keep it below the redline). With practice, engine noise will be all you use to do it.

The engine is going to slow down right after a shift anyway (out of the max hp range), so your advantage is to minimize the time you are not under power. Eliminating steps 4,5 and 6 will do that.

Unless you drive a 18 wheeler, that is something u can forget about. You are better off practicing throttle controll and feathering the clutch

I always say "Put it to the floor, dump the clutch and make that axel hop till it drops".

monkey-leader is right uless you drive an 18 wheeler it aint needed, and if your street racing its a waste of time. besides what does anyone who drives a rice burner know about street racing? they couldn't beat a real car down hill with a good tail wind.