Quote:
Originally Posted by Tcoat
Bull! There is no more strain put on a clutch by downshifting then there is up shifting. Not sure when this myth came about but believe it coincides with the invention of the internet. The clutch is designed to do both not just one.
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I think the difference isn't in the function, but in the application and in the application of the
average driver.
Most folks aren't rev matching or double clutching, therefore on a downshift the clutch is speeding up an engine, whereas on an upshift it's slowing it down. The friction disk is being applied to retard or accelerate what is essentially a compressor. The requirement in force to slow down an off-throttle engine is much less than to accelerate one.
To compound this, on a down shift, the clutch re-engagement is generally slower for your typical driver so the delta between where the revs are when the clutch is disengaged to where the revs are when the clutch is re-engaged is greater, aka: even more work.