Double Clutching

[fedoragent]

Folks,

Recently I had my clutch adjusted. The mechanic said that the 3rd gear is stripped a bit (and he suggested I have my gear box rebuilt) and that my syncros were worn. The adjustment did indeed help with the clutch and play in the pedal. However 3rd gear is still rough. I did notice while driving to the bank this morning that if I double clutch it just slips into gear easily. Do you folks double clutch? Or is this just something that I have to do on my car until I have my new tranny and overdrive put in? I'd appreciate any thoughts or suggestions.

Thanks,

FG.

[Young Ed]

I double clutch second in my pickup because it too has worn syncros. Yes its just your car and those of us with similar worn out parts.

[dynaflash_8]

just be lucky you have syncros!

My 41' WF-32 2 ton has a four speed with straight cut gears. Even double clutching grinds.

Still a hoot.

Iv come to terms that they all grind.

[fedoragent]

So when you do double clutch, do you take the pedal all the way out or do you partially pedal out?

FG.

[TodFitch]

So when you do double clutch, do you take the pedal all the way out or do you partially pedal out?

FG.

You are trying to match the speed of the gears that your are trying to match, so you need to engage the clutch enough that the engine can drive the gear train in the transmission. You may not need full engagement as not a lot of power is needed, but you need at least a little engagement.

I have a non-synchronized transmission and quite frankly I've forgotten how much I bring the pedal up. It just happens through muscle memory... It is easier if you shift at slower speeds that you are used to on newer cars and the L-6 engine has enough low end torque to allow that.

[Young Ed]

I know I don't bring mine all the way up. You just have to kind of double tap the clutch in out in out. FYI happens to newer cars too. Dads 63 valiant has a bad third gear in it that you either have to shift really really slowly or double clutch it.

Now in Dads 46 1/2 ton with the non-syncro 4spd I can double clutch that one upshifting just fine without grinding. Down shifting is another story. So maybe your 41 needs an adjustment? Another note for some reason I cannot upshift to second in my 46 without grinding but it downshifts perfectly. ODD

[suntennis]

If you have syncromesh transmission that works as designed, shifting to the gears that have the syncro does not need double clutching. On the older cars with the three speed synromesh trans, the syncro is only for second and third gears. First gear does not have a syncro, so if you downshift to first, if you do not speed up the engine and double clutch, you will grind some gears. If you have a 60s or later car, 3 or 4 or 5 or 6 speed, they have syncros for all gears.

[TodFitch]

... If you have a 60s or later car, 3 or 4 or 5 or 6 speed, they have syncros for all gears.

Neither first nor reverse on the 1963 Plymouth I learned to drive on were synchronized. Maybe they were synchronized on US built cars by the late 60s but I know that at least some were not during the early 60s.

I drove the 1933 a bit over 200 miles today and don't recall any conscious efforts at double clutching, even on the down shifts to second where some of the tight corners on California 1 lead into steep grades... There is some interesting road between Bodega Bay and Fort Bragg. I guess once you learn to double clutch on a specific vehicle it just becomes natural and you do it without thinking.

[JIPJOBXX]

My 88 Dodge Dakota truck shift with ease when I double clutch. I learned how to do this in my first Model A Ford.

[Jim Saraceno]

I never double clutch my '35 but I do pause for a split second in between gears or else it will grind a little.

[pflaming]

Dad had a '38 IH 2T truck and a 47 Ford 1 1/2 Ton. They shifted differently, Dad told me to listen to the engine and figure out the timing. We used to shift without the clutch, so have many of you, just by taking it out of gear, reviing or resting the engine to make the shift. We drove according to sound, our method of keeping the RPMS the same for each gear.

We hauled a lot of wheat on hilly Nebraska roads so we got a lot of practice. What was tricky was shifting from 3rd and low to 2nd and high , 2speed diffy,on a hill with a load and a double clutch. I loved to haul wheat, it was a good load with a low center of gravity. What I HATED was to haul John Deere D tractors or cattle.

[P-12 Tommy]

When my '41 is fully warmed up it grinds just a tad going into second, not when it's cold. I double clutch and it takes care of it.

Tom

[fedoragent]

Folks,

I double clutch now without hesitation. And I let the pedal out only a fourth from the firewall. Thanks for everything guys.

FG.

[pflaming]

Yep, doesn't take much, mostly feel and sound. Now you can go over the Grapevine in high style, :)drive it like a truck on those hills, keep the RPM's up to pass in traffic and enjoy life!

[fedoragent]

Yep, doesn't take much, mostly feel and sound. Now you can go over the Grapevine in high style, :)drive it like a truck on those hills, keep the RPM's up to pass in traffic and enjoy life!

I'm going to have to get the overdrive in her first.

FG.

[suntennis]

Regarding the OD install: if your OD is already assembled with another transmission that transmission may have a good syncromesh and you will not have double clutch afterwards. If your OD unit is not already connected to a transmission and you plan to attach to the one in your car, then you and or a mechanic should repair the synchromesh and gears as needed prior to the OD install. If your in use trans is to be used, it will be necessary to remove it to attach the OD. In addition, to install the OD, you will need to deal with the syncromesh on disassembly and assembly.