Rev Matching Vs Double Clutching: The Differences

When it comes to driving, you’ve probably heard of two different types of shifting: rev matching and double clutching. But what are they? And more importantly, which one should you use? In this article, you’ll get to know about both of these in detail.

Before getting into differences first let us know what Rev matching and Double clutching is.

What Is Rev Matching?

Rev matching is a driving technique that involves blipping the throttle to match your engine’s RPM with the vehicle speed when downshifting. This allows you to keep your car at its optimum momentum, maintain traction and also avoid upsetting the balance of weight over each axle during heavy braking or acceleration.

Downshifting

Downshifting gears is the process of manually shifting from one gear to another lower or higher gear, which can enhance vehicle safety and performance at low speeds as well as reduce wear on the engine and other components such as your brakes.

Upshifting

It is the process of manually shifting from one gear to another higher gear. Upshifting allows a vehicle’s engine speed to be reduced, which reduces fuel consumption and emissions while increasing performance at high speeds.

What Is Double Clutching?

Double clutching is a method of shifting without using the clutch pedal. The technique involves matching engine speed to transmission input RPM while upshifting or downshifting, also called throttle blipping.

When done correctly, double clutching can reduce stress on drivetrain components and increase driver control over gear changes. It’s most useful when you need to execute a smooth shift between gears with different ratios and no synchronized gearbox, such as for drag racing or driving on narrow roads.

Double clutching is also sometimes used to make upshifts smoother by matching engine speed to the transmission input RPM when it’s too low during high performance shifting (e.g., racing). This technique takes time to master and isn’t necessary in most street applications.

Downshifting

It is not used when downshifting because engine speed matches transmission input RPM on its own during compression braking, or by matching vehicle speed with the brake pedal. The same goes for synchronized transmissions where gears are shifted without using the clutch (e.g., modern cars), or in situations where maximum acceleration is required (e.g., to get power down on the street or track).

Which one should you use? 

The way you rev match and double clutch is going to depend largely on the type of vehicle that you’re driving. In a standard manual, it’s easier to get away with using both techniques since there isn’t any sort of synchro built into the gears.

However, in an automatic, this can be a little more difficult since your gears may end up slipping and grinding as you attempt to rev match or double clutch. Ultimately, the choice is going to come down to personal preference – there’s no “wrong” way of doing this!

One reason why a lot more people use these techniques with standard transmissions is because they’re not always aware that it can be done in an automatic. However, if you’re a manual enthusiast and want to know how to rev match or double clutch in an automatic – don’t worry – it’s not too difficult!

Rev Matching Vs Double Clutching: Which Is Easier?

Rev Matching and Double Clutching are two very important terms that you need to understand when working with your transmission. When it comes to shifting gears, there are several ways of doing so which can affect how smoothly the shift occurs as well as the overall lifespan of your transmission system.

Rev matching is not easy for beginners. But it is easier than doing all of the things that are necessary for driving, watching or feeling the engine’s speed, and then shifting gears accordingly. Double clutching just has more steps.

If you want smooth transitions between gears, double clutching can be a good option. When you do this, you have to match the engine’s RPMs before changing the gear. Once you learn how, it will be much easier.

Why is Rev Matching better than Double Clutching?

There are several reasons why rev matching is more useful nowadays. Firstly, cars today have much better suspensions and brakes than older models, which means that the downshifting process can be done smoothly without upsetting the car’s stability to a significant degree.

Secondly, dual-clutch transmissions with automated double-declutching function make rev matching redundant.

The benefits of rev matching are significant. Apart from the smoother downshift, it also saves time and fuel since you do not need to let off the accelerator pedal during shifting process nor reduce your speed significantly before making a shift (which is necessary when double clutching).

Trucks & Other Special Vehicles

Heavy vehicles still use an unsynchronized transmission because it is less likely to break down. When the clutch is not engaged, the transmission shaft does not move.

If you are driving a heavy goods vehicle, you will probably need to learn how to rev match. But it is also good to know how to double clutch. When done correctly, these techniques can make the transitions between gears smoother and faster.

Summing up!

As we can see, there are some similarities and differences between rev matching and double clutching. Both of them make shifting easier and smoother but each one has its own benefits: Rev Matching is faster while Double Clutching makes it quieter.

When you’re still learning to drive stick or have just gotten used to the basics, use Rev Matching. Once you get the hang of it, try Double Clutching and see how much more control over your gearbox you can have!

Rev matching is faster while double clutching makes shifting smoother but each one has its own benefits. When rev-matching, do so in a higher gear to avoid stalling.