Quote:
Originally Posted by Ultramaroon
My $0.02:
The only acceptable way to skip gears downshifting is to double-clutch into the target gear. Otherwise rake through each gear sequentially while holding in the clutch. Skipping gates puts a horrible strain on the syncros.
Similarly, don't go straight from 3rd to 6th. I still do it sometimes but I wait a good long time in neutral to let the input side spool down. If it doesn't immediately slip into gear with a light touch, you're not waiting long enough.
Or just don't skip gears, period.
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Hmmm. Interesting. For many years most performance machinery I drove has had sequential, constant mesh transmissions. And yes, my standard downshift technique was blip, shift, blip shift. The faster I was going and harder I was braking the more important that became. Getting the input shaft unloaded and at a speed similar to the output shaft makes life a lot easier on CM gearboxes and makes it much less likely engine braking will slide the back tire while you're hard on the binders (and sometimes turning/leaning).
In the Subarota I tend to go down the box sequentially as well. Mostly because I like to. Still getting the hang of "fat footing" the throttle. It's just a different set of muscles to train.
Edit: It seems to me that the strain on the synchros is/should be directly proportional to the difference in speeds of the input and output shafts. If you're slowing down and reach a road speed that's compatible with gear ratio/engine speed for the gear you're downshifting into I don't see what excessive stress that puts on the box.