Do you rev match before changing down a gear?

bothyhead

I'm curious as to how many of you rev match when down shifting.

I've been doing it for the past two years and my gear changes are so much smoother. However, I don't always get it 100% right; has anyone any tips?

corktina

syncromesh should make this unnecessary but its a lost skill.... if you practise a lot you will be able to change gear without the clutch at all....(harder going down the box than up ...)

MunsterCycling

Totally unnessary due to the aforementioned syncromesh, it has been shown to wear modern parts.

BrianD3

I rev match all the time but without double declutching, I presume the OP is the same. I agree about the smoothness also I think it reduces wear on the clutch and possibly gearbox.

Useful too when you want to change down a gear but don't want to get engine braking eg when you're changing down before overtaking

bonzodog2

Also handy when your clutch breaks. I had to drive a motorcycle 30 miles with no clutch after I slipped over on an icy garage forecourt and broke the lever. Came in handy again on a 4 ton Commer truck and a Volvo 340

JJJJNR

I'm lost, what is rav matching. ?

Andrew33

My car does that for me! blips the throttle on downshifts. You don't need a clutch on a motorbike once you're rolling, just snick up and down tru the gears.

mickdw

BrianD3 wrote: »

Useful too when you want to change down a gear but don't want to get engine braking eg when you're changing down before overtaking

Yes, it is almost a requirement in this case imo. I do a fair bit of it in general

bothyhead

BrianD3 wrote: »

I rev match all the time but without double declutching, I presume the OP is the same.

Yes, I specifically meant rev matching as opposed to out dated technique of double de-clutching (thought I think this may still be used by rally drivers, as well as heal-and-toe.)

Anan1

MunsterCycling wrote: »

Totally unnessary due to the aforementioned syncromesh, it has been shown to wear modern parts.

Are you sure you don't mean clutchless changing? Rev matching should reduce wear, as well as giving smoother shifts.

bothyhead

Andrew33 wrote: »

My car does that for me! blips the throttle on downshifts. You don't need a clutch on a motorbike once you're rolling, just snick up and down tru the gears.

Nice! what car is it?

bothyhead

JJJJNR wrote: »

I'm lost, what is rav matching. ?

It's a technique used to get a smoother gear change when going *down* a gear. As you are changing gear and your foot is on the clutch, give the throttle a quick tap, which will bring up the revs. When you release the clutch, the engine will already be at the higher speed required for the lower gears, and you shouldn't notice the gear change at all.

Ferris

I use rev matching to avoid locking the rear wheels while changing down.

Andrew33

bothyhead wrote: »

Nice! what car is it?

Octavia TDi with the DSG gearbox, I think any car with the DSG 'box will blip on the way down.

2 Espressi

I do it in the 5, though more for the noise than to avoid driveline jerk...

zilog_jones

I do

SouperComputer

I heel/toe nearly all of the time when I'm driving. For no other reason than to stay rehearsed and I enjoy it (sad I know). It's a good skill to have when using dogboxes in racecars. I've been doing it for so long it feels plain wrong to change gears without syncing everything up. When I'm not doing that I'm changing without the clutch to keep myself occupied. You'd be surprised how smooth you can change without a clutch when you get the knack for it.

I've yet to kill a gearbox or clutch.....

Absurdum

nah, auto/CVT takes care of all that work for me

Dark-Mavis

Do it on must down changes on the bike but very rarely in a car, must start:D

peasant

I wouldn't call it "rev matching" (sounds far too scientific), but on most downshifts the gas pedal is a good way down before the clutch is fully out, whereas on an upshift it wouldn't be.

bothyhead

Dark-Mavis wrote: »

Do it on must down changes on the bike but very rarely in a car, must start:D

Ah, so bikers do it routinely then?

Edit: I just found a poll in a bikers forum, where 68% of said they do it.