what is double clutching in racing cars?

Answer 1

Double-clutching is usually reserved for those driving trucks, high performance racing cars, or (really old) cars that don't have synchronizers, but anyone can do it. It just makes driving a little more complicated if you're not used to it.

Double-clutching ads a third step into changing gears. The shifter, rather than going straight to the next gear, makes a stop in neutral and then the clutch is released. This is to allow the engine to slow down (or with a tap on the gas, speed up when downshifting) so the transition into the next gear is much more smooth. The driver then depresses the clutch again and completes the shift into the target gear, and finally the clutch is released again, putting the car back into gear. It only takes a split second for the engine speed to match the speed of the gears, so the entire action is done very quickly as a fluid sequence of events.

Answer 2

I tried it for a while but did not find that in my day-to-day driving (as aggressive as it may be) that it made a difference. Here's an explanation off the web:

Double-clutching is usually reserved for those driving trucks or high performance racing cars, but anyone with a manual transmission can perform this simple feat.

For most manual transmission drivers, the act of shifting gears is a straightforward one. First the clutch is depressed, then the shifter is thrown into the next gear, and finally the clutch is released putting the car back into gear. All of this is usually done without thinking, at least after some practice.

But double clutching adds a third step into the mix. The shifter, rather than going straight to the next gear, makes a stop in neutral and then the clutch is released. This is to allow the engine to slow down (or with a tap on the gas, speed up when downshifting) so the transition into the next gear is much more smooth. The driver then depresses the clutch again and completes the shift into the target gear, and finally the clutch is released again, putting the car back into gear. It only takes a split second for the engine speed to match the speed of the gears, so the entire action is done very quickly as a fluid sequence of events.

Most modern cars, however, are equipped with devices called synchronizers that help to synchronize the speed of the gearbox with that of the engine. This effectively eliminates the need for double clutching. Some large trucks on the other hand have so many gears that synchronizers are inefficient, while race cars can squeeze out more power without them, making double clutching a fact of life.

There are times, however, that a normal car driver may want to make use of double clutching. Many manual transmission drivers realize the advantages of downshifting in slippery conditions. Rather than brake and skid, a car with a manual transmission can make use of the engine to slow down - thereby eliminating the possibility of a skid. But even with synchronizers, a driver trying to shift from fifth gear into second could have some trouble. In this case, double clutching by pausing in neutral and giving the engine a little gas to match speeds of the engine and gearbox, can allow such a drastic shift.

Some driving purists maintain that it's still the proper way to shift, and makes for a much smoother ride. It eliminates some of the jumpiness sometimes felt in a manual transmission car, and it decreases the stress on the gearbox. In any case, double clutching a skill worth having in emergency downshift situations, and not very difficult to learn.

Answer 3

double clutching is a technique reserved for trannys WITHOUT SNYCHRONIZATION-like big trucks and OLD cars where the trans is placed in neutral just long enough to bring the rotation of the gears in the trans equal to the flywheel's rotation-it is becoming a LOST ART-as most big trucks are SLIP shifted(no clutch you literally SLIP the trans into gear using the clutch only on intial start from a dead stop) or computer shifted or even automatic-hope this helps

Answer 4

It's when you match the RPMs on the way down.

Say your car runs 60MPH in 2nd gear @ 6000RPM. When you shift into 3rd and drop the clutch, the RPMs drop to 4000. When you double clutch you are holding in the clutch until the RPM's match what they are going to be at when you let it go.

Answer 5

normally you would depress the clutch and in one fluid motion take the transmission from one gear to another
In double clutching what you do is split the shift in two by depressing the clutch and taking the transmission out of gear then releasing the clutch depress the clutch again and put the transmission in gear release clutch

Answer 6

well to tell you the truth dbl clutching in a truck is the same as a race car . A race cars trans does not have a sinkronisre you are the sinkro in a race car as well as a truck ( simi truck )

Answer 7

double clutch: A driving technique to minimize gear clash when shifting gears with a manual transmission.

http://www.autozone.com/servlet/UiBroker?ForwardPage=/az/cds/en_us/0900823d/80/04/9d/20/0900823d80049d20.jsp

Answer 8

when you stay in the same gear but rev to drop the clutch to get a little bit more torque.

Answer 9

SHifting to neutral then to the next gear to rev up the RPM's

Answer 10

you put the cluch to the floor
take it out of gear
lift and recluch
now put it in gear
it helps save the trans
but slower of the mark