Rallycross Downshifting

[nando]

you have to rev match before pushing the shift lever into gear. rev matching helps the clutch but mostly it's to align the input shaft speed with the synchros. it's why you can shift without even using the clutch pedal.

[Smrtpunk]

So the consensus is that I'll have better luck getting it into gear if I revmatch. Usually when it comes to rev matching, I'll clutch the car, drop to the gear I want, rev match and realease the clutch.

Normally, I won't clutch in, rev up, select my lower gear and then release the clutch... Is that how you guys are doing it?

Ian

[jalopi]

I remember the first time I drove a standard.... lol.

The worst part is that kids these days won't even know about rev shifting; I figure it won't take too many more years for every stick sporty car to have that automatic rev shifter.

[ThatOneEuroE30]

Yea don't just throw it into 2nd. It's like learning stick. Clutch in rev match and then release.

[nando]

are you revmatching? just forcing it into gear isn't going to work because the synchros and input shaft will have a big difference in speed.

[Smrtpunk]

Can any of the Rallycross experts give me a little advise on downshifting from 3rd to 2nd?

What happens is, I'll be in 3rd gear braking for a corner, at the same time I'm clutching in and pulling the car out of 3rd and trying to find 2nd so that when I get into a safe spot to re-accelerate so that I can be in the powerband again.

WHat the car is doing is it's not leting me get into second. I'm finding that sometimes I can get it after a little bit of re-trying but on my last run of the day the car would'nt grab the gear after a severe amount of trying. In fact the car just about ground to a halt at which point I managed to get it into 1st and continued on... no doubt loosing a good 4-5 seconds on the run.

I'm going to top up the tranny fluid before the next event and I'll try to get a little bit more practice in. When I'm on the street performing the same manouver I never have problems.

One possibility I've been entertaining is that the car is usually getting bounced around pretty hard when I'm attempting this manouver, maybe a good set of solid mounts could be the solution?

Ian