Americans and Rev Matching (blipping the throttle)

moonage

Whenever I read or see Americans online discussing how to drive manual cars, they almost always say you have to blip the throttle every time you change down the gears—otherwise the car will jolt and the clutch will wear out faster. Many say if you're not rev matching then you're not driving manual properly.

I can see how this might be useful when changing down in order to accelerate but see little or no use when changing down to slow down e.g. when taking a sharp bend.

What do you make of Americans and their obsession with rev matching?

whatever.

This is only relevant on non syncromesh transmissions which are still fitted to "18 wheelers"

This is where they get the idea from

European trucks are not only syncromesh but by and large are automatic now

Lewis_Benson

Americans and their ideas.

DaveyDave

Pretty sure most modern performance cars will auto rev match anyway?

Dartz

Woopsiedoodles…. double post

Dartz

I try to do it because it sounds cool - especially with a free-flowing exhaust.

It can be easier on the synchros if it's a big drop, like going from 5th to 2nd.

djan

No need to bash the Americans, it mostly stems from the fact that in the US manuals are driven mostly by enthusiasts. Rev matching definitely is a thing and will lead to smoother shifts and is easier on the transmission. Plenty of cars do it automatically but some don't or at least not well.

It's not necessary to do but it is an advanced method of manual driving similar as using heel and toe to maintain brake engagement for car balance when changing down and slowing before a corner.

mac167

It's fun to bash the Americans, but it does makes for a much smoother and engaging driving experience especially for the passengers, and even more if you know how to master heel toe technique.

moonage

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122129566#Comment_122129566

I'm not trying to bash Americans but as driving schools over there don't teach manual, most new drivers are learning from the internet. Instead of learning the basics properly they tend to become fixated on rev matching and heel and toe.

The advice they get seems to be to blip the throttle for EVERY downshift, rather than doing it in specific situation where it's warranted e.g. when dropping gears because you want to accelerate. If the traffic ahead has slowed down there's no need to rev match—just slow down to that speed and then go into a lower gear, as appropriate.

magicbastarder

I still don't know what double clutching is. I assume it's that you apply the clutch to come out of gear, release it, and reapply it going into the next gear? If so, I assume it's only relevant on non-synchromesh systems?

mac167

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122129736#Comment_122129736

If the traffic ahead has slowed down you can use heel toe downshifting as well, which is braking while applying rev matching. Of course it is not necessary, we teach people here to brake gently and downshift because it is easier. But there is no right or wrong with either methods, as long as you do it safely.

Wibbs

I thought heel and toe was part of how to drive because my dad taught me to drive and he learned pre WW2. Caveat: I'm not that old, he married late in life.😁 He taught me double de-clutching too, but even he reckoned that wasn't much use unless your gearbox/clutch was fecked.

I do remember the only official driving lesson I took and the instructor questioning me about wtf was I doing. Though on the actual test the tester did remark afterward that my downshifts were smooth.

I still heel and toe to some degree. I find it makes cornering while dropping a gear a lot more smooth a procedure and you don't get any clunks which might unbalance the car. These days rather than overall speed I'm aiming more for smoother progress, which often means more actual progress.

I've small feet so I actually use my heel and toe and rotate my ankle kinda thing. A friend of mine wanted to learn but he has larger feet so had to do the blip the throttle with the right outside edge of his right foot. That seems to be more Euro/US thing. Bigger feet in general I suppose. If you watch Japanese guys, with smaller feet in general, doing it they do it my way.

As for our American cousins; I remember reading Hunter S Thompson's Fear And Loathing in Las Vegas when I was in my late teens and at one point he mentions a bit of "heel and toe" action to confuse a chasing cop. Grand sez me, only he was driving an automatic. How da fuq do you even… Does the same thing in the later flic of the book. And that folks was when I realised oul Hunter, on that score at least, hadn't a fecking bull's notion what he was talking about and was pedaling more what comes out of the smelly end of a bull.😁

DRedford

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122130893#Comment_122130893

"heel and toe" in an automatic - maybe he meant braking v. gently to light up the brake lights but not slow down much, while accelerating?