downshifting or braking? The debate...
07-22-2016, 12:26 PM
#16
Race Director
I typically use the brakes for braking; any downshifting is done to get into the right gear once it's time to start accelerating again. During normal daily driving, I don't generally even bother with blip-shifting down.
I prefer to use the brakes since it's easier and cheaper to replace brake pads than clutches, as Carl mentioned above. I'll leave the jake braking to the long-haul guys...
I prefer to use the brakes since it's easier and cheaper to replace brake pads than clutches, as Carl mentioned above. I'll leave the jake braking to the long-haul guys...
07-22-2016, 12:28 PM
#17
Advanced
Thread Starter
07-22-2016, 12:30 PM
#18
Race Director
If you're slowing via downshifting, you're essentially coasting...and (at least when track driving) you seldom - if ever - want to be coasting. In addition, dragging the engine back up to 6K RPM over and over as you work your way back toward first gear seems like unnecessary mechanical wear...
07-22-2016, 02:09 PM
#22
Three Wheelin'
07-22-2016, 02:52 PM
#25
But if you really want to take care of these engines, try and keep the RPMs above 3,000 for the most part. The only time I did below is taking corners in 2nd gear but then I ease on up to 3k and then liberally add throttle from there. This prevents undue stress on the variocams.
07-22-2016, 02:55 PM
#26
Rennlist Member
If you're slowing via downshifting, you're essentially coasting...and (at least when track driving) you seldom - if ever - want to be coasting. In addition, dragging the engine back up to 6K RPM over and over as you work your way back toward first gear seems like unnecessary mechanical wear...
07-22-2016, 02:56 PM
#27
Rennlist Member
07-22-2016, 04:09 PM
#28
Rennlist Member
It first came up when the IMS failures weren't happening on the heavily tracked aggressively driven cars like you would expect, but on the ones that were babied. Turns out the variocams were designed to excel at high RPMs, which is why you feel the nice boost 3k+, but not so much at lower RPMs.
A good analogy is like trying to take off in 3rd gear. It's a lot of stress on the transmission initially and then becomes less as you speed increases. The engine is the same way with RPMs. The higher the RPMs, the more time it spends in its sweet spot. So general rule of thumb is to keep it above 3k RPMs. It's a helluvalot more fun once you do anyways.
Actually he meant parachutes, like in drag racing ya know!
A good analogy is like trying to take off in 3rd gear. It's a lot of stress on the transmission initially and then becomes less as you speed increases. The engine is the same way with RPMs. The higher the RPMs, the more time it spends in its sweet spot. So general rule of thumb is to keep it above 3k RPMs. It's a helluvalot more fun once you do anyways.
Actually he meant parachutes, like in drag racing ya know!
07-22-2016, 04:15 PM
#29
Rennlist Member
07-22-2016, 04:22 PM
#30
Race Director
If you decide to use this method, be sure you only do so in properly-designated car parachuting zones.
Also, it is crucial that you are attired properly when deploying parachutes:
