Discussion
A bit of a well worn topic, but I had the occasion to need a different gearchange technique over the weekend on a 72 Dino that I was touring round the cotswolds in (great roads too).
The synchros needed a lot of help and the gearchange needed to be slowed down a lot. It was much harder to fit the gearchanges in after the braking so I was heal n toe'ing a lot more as well.
Apart from some practice to get the timing right, the only issue I had was that I was blipping with the clutch up to help the synchros, but by the time I had the clutch down and changed into the relevant gear, I had lost the engine revs I needed to help the rev-matching for the smoothness of clutch engagement.
As I was overlapping quite a lot (lots of downhill) and needing a LOT of brake pressure, I couldn't hold the revs up to help the synchros and help the rev-match IYSWIM? The best I could do was a blip.
Any thoughts?
Bert
The synchros needed a lot of help and the gearchange needed to be slowed down a lot. It was much harder to fit the gearchanges in after the braking so I was heal n toe'ing a lot more as well.
Apart from some practice to get the timing right, the only issue I had was that I was blipping with the clutch up to help the synchros, but by the time I had the clutch down and changed into the relevant gear, I had lost the engine revs I needed to help the rev-matching for the smoothness of clutch engagement.
As I was overlapping quite a lot (lots of downhill) and needing a LOT of brake pressure, I couldn't hold the revs up to help the synchros and help the rev-match IYSWIM? The best I could do was a blip.
Any thoughts?
Bert
My (fairly limited) experience with older Ferrari gearboxes is that they're notchy at best and recalcitrant at worst. They seem to respond best to a quick, positive gearchange, rather than a slow, lingering change.
This isn't my natural style, but I strongly believe that a driver should drive round issues like this rather than expect the car to bend to their ways.
I was quite surprised at how much of a rev is required to get a Ferrari to change down smoothly, but it's very satisfying when you get it right.
This isn't my natural style, but I strongly believe that a driver should drive round issues like this rather than expect the car to bend to their ways.
I was quite surprised at how much of a rev is required to get a Ferrari to change down smoothly, but it's very satisfying when you get it right.
Thanks for the thoughts.
The gearbox on the dino was at the recalcitrant end! Being slow and careful with a big blip did work. It also had the effect of allowing you to feel if it wasn't going to work and not bang through into gear IYSWIM.
I did manage to get few "scruff of the neck" gearchanges in. However, about half of my attempted faster ones worked well with a big grin and half ended with big graunches and a grimace (esp from Mrs B).
So in the end I settled (mostly) for a slower technique that worked predictably and smoothly, but I had to be extra vigilant on getting the clutch up smoothly.
Been having some excellent fun...964GT3RS thursday evening, dino all weekend, caterham today, what a lucky boy.
Ahhh, Rover 25 tomorrow.
Bert
The gearbox on the dino was at the recalcitrant end! Being slow and careful with a big blip did work. It also had the effect of allowing you to feel if it wasn't going to work and not bang through into gear IYSWIM.
I did manage to get few "scruff of the neck" gearchanges in. However, about half of my attempted faster ones worked well with a big grin and half ended with big graunches and a grimace (esp from Mrs B).
So in the end I settled (mostly) for a slower technique that worked predictably and smoothly, but I had to be extra vigilant on getting the clutch up smoothly.
Been having some excellent fun...964GT3RS thursday evening, dino all weekend, caterham today, what a lucky boy.
Ahhh, Rover 25 tomorrow.
Bert
Gassing Station | Advanced Driving | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff