Clutchless shifting? Does anyone try it?

**cripple_rooster** · July 28th, 2011 12:26 PM

Originally Posted by ghosthunter

Yes, I have done it. It takes a bit of practice to get the timing right with the gas pedal and shifter. And you can only do it when you are on the move, minimal traffic helps.

But even with the best timing, you will crunch the gears which will lead to premature wear & tear. Each time you "crunch" the gears, it shaves off some metal filings into the gear oil. Do it often enough and your gear oil will be more metal than lubricant.

Just save this for emergency driving when your clutch pedal has failed or similar.

It's true for these newer fully-synchromesh gearboxes, but older vehicles with non-synchromesh gearboxes don't have any problem to shift gears without the clutch at the timing. If you take a look at those newer automated-manual transmissions, such as VW/Audi's DSG and Opel's Easytronic, you'll figure out they're essentially a non-synchromesh gearbox with a robotic actuator for the clutch and shifters.

**niky** · July 28th, 2011 03:30 PM

You can still grind the gears if you try to force it without rev-matching. And it will still hurt. (Learned from much practice.

)... the okay thing with those old diesels is not only are the gears not synchromesh... they rev very slowly, so rev matching is much easier.

**cripple_rooster** · July 29th, 2011 03:04 PM

Originally Posted by niky

You can still grind the gears if you try to force it without rev-matching. And it will still hurt. (Learned from much practice.

)... the okay thing with those old diesels is not only are the gears not synchromesh... they rev very slowly, so rev matching is much easier.

Oo... I prefer to not force the gears too much. About old diesels, one more advantage for them. Actually, since the torque is usually higher than in a gasoline-powered vehicle, it demands less gear-hunting...