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MG TD TF 1500 - Double-declutch techniques?


New concept to kiddies these days, even the ones who learned stick-shift. What's the best method? Textbook says:

clutch down - shift to neutral - clutch up - blip throttle - clutch down - shift to lower gear - match engine speed with new gear - clutch up again
W Chang

That was correct then and it's still spot on.
You will know when you have got it right because you will be able to shift from 2nd to first while on the move.
Takes a bit of practice but it is possible.
I have a close ratio gearbox in my TD and with the higher first gear I need to do it quite a lot.

Cheers,

Paul.
Paul van Gool

As Paul said, you are right about the process. The trick is to do it quickly and concurrently i.e., applying the throttle blip with the right foot just as the left foot is passing through the apex of movement, so the revs do not fall off before you re-apply the clutch and complete the downshift. it's very satisfying to down shift to first gear using a tranny with a non-synchro low but, if I recall, TD tranny's have relatively weak first gear components (mine used to pop out of first gear until it was rebuilt).
Cheers,
Gary
Gary Cash

Hint: Watch Steve McQueen in Bullet move through San Francisco in the 60's movie.
Chris Couper

Actually, you don't need to use the clutch at all using the same technique of RPM matching. I drove a TD for a couple of weeks with a broken clutch rod until I had the money to fix it. Unfortunately my battery failed at the same time, so I had to crank start it in neutral, push it as fast as I could and drop it into first while jumping in. I did a lot of driving around in parking lots while waiting for signals to change.
George B.


George is right - if you get the revs exactly right, the clutch is superfluous. Yak to some truckkies... they do it all the time. :-)
Will

George & Will are dead-on with this one!
My TF will be rolling out this year with a hand clutch installed to get the ole' girl rolling in 1st gear...from there it's match the revs and away we go!
If you don't belive the "truckkies"...would you belive a TF driver with 50% more "leg-room" ?! ;-)!
Looking forward to a "comfortable" driving season this year!
Cheers,
David #A1 55 TF1500
David Sheward

Here is a very informitive site regarding double clutching. Explains it all.

http://www.g-speed.com/pbh/double-clutch.html

Steve P.
1954 mgtf
1974 BMW 2002
Steve P.

This thread was discussed between 07/04/2002 and 18/04/2002

MG TD TF 1500 index

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