This is a long one.....

If you like to drive your saab with a little enthusiasm (ie no time for double clutch) it is useful to learn how to heel and toe on downshifts.

Heel and toe is often used when entering a corner, while breaking you use the edge of your braking foot to blip the throttle to aid in matching revs on your downshift. By doing this you are able to get the car into gear smoothly, while braking hard before entering a corner. This eliminates the need to change gears mid corner which can unbalance the car and ultimately increase your lap times.

I am sure if you heel and toe (with less enthusiasm of course) in your daily driving it will help extend the life of your tranny for the same reasons double clutching.

If you want to learn how to heel and toe, and shift quickly and smoothly without a clutch buy a Saab 99. Saab 99 boxes are a little stronger and have a much nicer shift that (I found) encourages more spirited gear shifts.

On the topic of coasting. I used to often coast in my car by popping the car out of gear without the clutch when easing off the accelerator. The problem with coasting is that once in neutral you are not in complete control of the car (in some places it is illlegal for this reason) and you also have a slower reaction time if you have to accelerate to avoid a situation. You also have the risk of your engine stalling (it happens to the best of cars, when least expected) and hence loosing power assistance for your brakes and steering.....a very dangerous situation, particulalry if you are not aware that you have stalled.

Having said this, I think using brakes to slow down is much prefereable to tranies. Brakes are designed to make the car stop, trannies are designed to make the car go.

The only occasion that using the trannie to slow down is justified is when driving down long and steep gradients. If you use the brakes for prolonged periods in these situations you run the risk of overheating the brakes and discovering brake fade which is not fun. By using the gears on long steep decents you keep the brakes coolish, ready and able to stop you in emergencies.

I don't know about using gears to slow down in ice, but it makes sense, but as I live in Australia, the only ice I ever see on the road is when I spill my drink.......



Justin
The-99-guy

posted by 203.59.21...

• How to Double Clutch and Extend your Manual Tranny Life, KevinOD, Fri, 14 Dec 2001 13:04:59
  • I believe in the finger tip shift technique > > >, BobD, Sat, 15 Dec 2001 00:30:12
  • Don't forget about heel n toe, and comments on coasting, Justin, Fri, 14 Dec 2001 19:43:29 <-- Viewing This Message
  • Re: How to Double Clutch and Extend your Manual Tranny Life, Graham, Fri, 14 Dec 2001 14:06:29
    • Re: How to Double Clutch and Extend your Manual Tranny Life, KevinOD, Fri, 14 Dec 2001 15:35:40
  • long re: how to Double Clutch, karen, Fri, 14 Dec 2001 14:00:42
    • Re: long re: how to Double Clutch, Kevin K , Fri, 14 Dec 2001 14:48:41
    • Re: long re: how to Double Clutch, DougM , Fri, 14 Dec 2001 14:24:22
  • Some additional notes, Ari , Fri, 14 Dec 2001 13:39:28
    • Re: Some additional notes, KevinOD, Fri, 14 Dec 2001 15:32:10
      • Hewland transmission, Richard Miller, Fri, 14 Dec 2001 16:53:18
      • Before we had syncros on all forward gears double >>>, Dennis in Ottawa, Fri, 14 Dec 2001 15:52:10
  • Another thing I've done...., 'Roo, Fri, 14 Dec 2001 13:37:43
    • Doesn't sound too good to me, Dan W, Fri, 14 Dec 2001 15:14:43
      • Yes and No, 'Roo, Sat, 15 Dec 2001 20:20:11
  • Re: How to Double Clutch and Extend your Manual Tranny Life, paulh, Fri, 14 Dec 2001 13:27:44
    • That's how the manual says to do it. n/m, JWR, Sat, 15 Dec 2001 12:09:32
    • If Suburban is behind what is the problem, he >>>, Dennis in Ottawa, Fri, 14 Dec 2001 15:45:32
    • Mecahnic tells me doubleclutch is far superior.., Gusto, Fri, 14 Dec 2001 13:41:25
  • I'll have to try that... n/m, JonG, Fri, 14 Dec 2001 13:11:06

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