Double Clutching

Bob/Kansas City

Bob/Kansas City

Senior Member
There have been some questions latley about how to shift a Model A transmission without grinding the gears.
I came across this video on YouTube showing a guy driving an A and showing how to double clutch. THis may help to explain shifitng to those new to driving Model A's.
It's a little hard to see but he explains the concept of shifting out of a gear, pausing in neutral, letting out the clutch briefly, depressing the clutch again and finishing the shift without grinding gears.
Hope this helps!

http://youtu.be/Vlf09huxvHI
 
I don't double clutch,i hold the clutch in and shift to nuteral then slowly into gear...works every time, no grinding either.
 
Bob/Kansas City said:
There have been some questions latley about how to shift a Model A transmission without grinding the gears.
I came across this video on YouTube showing a guy driving an A and showing how to double clutch. THis may help to explain shifitng to those new to driving Model A's.
It's a little hard to see but he explains the concept of shifting out of a gear, pausing in neutral, letting out the clutch briefly, depressing the clutch again and finishing the shift without grinding gears.
Hope this helps!

http://youtu.be/Vlf09huxvHI
Click to expand...


Interesting.

What's up with that car?? It's a 30-31 steering wheel with a 28-29 dash panel, no choke, wires everywhere, all kinds of doo-dads clamped to the gearshift lever, dash rail with a weird bend in the center, etc. Frankencar? What the heck year/model is that?
 
I only double clutch when downshifting. Normal driving, I shift like duffer says. I wind it up to a reasonable rpm, then ease the shifter into the next gear. When I move to shifter somewhat slowly, it seems to let the gears come together smoothly.
 
Bob/Kansas City said:
There have been some questions latley about how to shift a Model A transmission without grinding the gears.
I came across this video on YouTube showing a guy driving an A and showing how to double clutch. THis may help to explain shifitng to those new to driving Model A's.
It's a little hard to see but he explains the concept of shifting out of a gear, pausing in neutral, letting out the clutch briefly, depressing the clutch again and finishing the shift without grinding gears.
Hope this helps!

http://youtu.be/Vlf09huxvHI
Click to expand...
No need to double clutch when upshifting from first to second. First gear is just to get you rolling, not for acceleration. Immediately shift into second before you roll 10ft, it will slip into 2nd gear smoothly with no clashing. You don't have to wait in neutral or double clutch or do any fancy footwork to make a clean shift if you don't hesitate. If you roll forward twenty feet, then you will have to pause in neutral or double clutch to upshift with no clashing. That wastes time and gas. If you read the service manuals, you will note that many transmissions were ruined by lazy drivers who didn't use first gear at all. They used second to get rolling and to accelerate, which that heavy flywheel allowed them to do with ease and convenience, but it was very hard on the transmissions and wore them out quickly. The Model A gear ratios were designed for very different driving conditions than found in modern experience. First was to get you rolling, or pull through heavy mud or to pull tree stumps. First was not designed for acceleration. Second was the gear for accelerating to a speed fast enough to shift into high. You will get into high gear much faster if you shift into second as quickly as possible, instead of wasting time trying to get up to speed in first. Try it!
 
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Bob/Kansas City said:
There have been some questions latley about how to shift a Model A transmission without grinding the gears.
I came across this video on YouTube showing a guy driving an A and showing how to double clutch. THis may help to explain shifitng to those new to driving Model A's.
It's a little hard to see but he explains the concept of shifting out of a gear, pausing in neutral, letting out the clutch briefly, depressing the clutch again and finishing the shift without grinding gears.
Hope this helps!

http://youtu.be/Vlf09huxvHI
Click to expand...
Shifting according to Ford. Note the manual states to shift from first to second at 5 to 8 miles an hour. That's a brisk walking speed, which the car reaches in first gear in about the first ten feet of driving. Your speedometer may not indicate that speed because it lags after eighty years. Also, notice that the manual does not say "as indicated by the speedometer" when referencing rate of speed for shifting gears. Remember most new Model A drivers were former Model T drivers and most T's never had a speedometer. The writer of the manual was addressing drivers who more likely than not had never driven a car by reference to a speedometer and weren't about to now just because they bought a new car. All of us grew up glued to a speedometer all through driver's ed and the 55 mph era. Most driver's in the late twenties couldn't have cared less about the speedometer when shifting gears. They shifted by feel. And they didn't double clutch when upshifting. Notice the Ford manual doesn't even mention double clutching in the up shifting section, just the down shifting part!
 

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Single clutch on the way up, take your time and shift at the right speeds and it will slip in seamlessly. Double clutch on the way down, again, take your time and shift when the time is right. Just takes a little paying attention to the speed of the motor and car. Its not hard. Most people use way more engine RPMs than necessary. In traffic its easy to get distracted. On a back road or quiet street its your own d$#m fault if you "grind a pound". Some people leave the hand throttle set too high and that can cause problems as well.
 
P.S. said:
Interesting.

What's up with that car?? It's a 30-31 steering wheel with a 28-29 dash panel, no choke, wires everywhere, all kinds of doo-dads clamped to the gearshift lever, dash rail with a weird bend in the center, etc. Frankencar? What the heck year/model is that?
Click to expand...

Looks like an early '30. (They had the oval speedometer) My coupe is an early '30. It also has forged front fender braces similar to 28-29 as opposed to stamped braces used later.

It also looks like it has an overdrive installed.

Ed
 
Paul and Eagle:
You are absolutely right. Only need double clutch on a down- shift. Pay attention on the up- shift, don't go over 10 mph or so on the start in first. No problems!
Listen to the car! Learn from what it tell you. Most folks have never had to drive a car like a model A.

Brian
 
I double clutch up shifting. Though from what you are all saying I may be staying in first too long. However, I also double clutch down shifting and for one reason or another I cannot keep from grinding gears down. Have zero issues with up shifting, listen to the motor and know when to shift. Down shifting that's a whole different issue...
 
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