Question about driving stick (manual transmission).

[Dragnov]

Note: This thread is not here to prove your masculinity because you know how to drive stick or how its so much better than an automatic. I really don't care, I just need to learn fast to avoid being stuck w/ an old POS car that could break down any moment, especially now that it is raining.

I have a habit of leaving my left foot partially pressed down on the clutch when I'm coasting in neutral. Is this bad? Should I put no pressure upon it at all? I feel like I have to press down the clutch really far, so I don't like to have to totally press down and come back up when I'm going to be switching real fast anyways. (This is in a resedential neighborhood with lots of turns and hills).

 

[CraigRT]

It's no big deal if you are in neutral... but of course, since you are in neutral, you CAN just not put pressure on it...

it's not going to hurt anything if you clutch.

 

[Evadman]

Don't press down at all. it lessens the clamping force, and you will roast your clutch. Have your clutch adjusted, it should release around 1/2 way down.

<edit>
In neutral? Didn't catch that. The only part moving are parts in the trans, so it is not as bad, and probably will not roast it. I thought it was while at speed. my bad.

 

[CraigRT]

Originally posted by: Evadman
Don't press down at all. it lessens the clamping force, and you will roast your clutch. Have your clutch adjusted, it should release around 1/2 way down.

<edit>
In neutral? Didn't catch that. The only part moving are parts in the trans, so it is not as bad, and probably will not roast it. I thought it was while at speed. my bad.

of course, you could look at it that way... you can also of course, look at it as when you shift you are wearing it too.. so, what? not drive?

bleh... ain't gonna kill it if you clutch.. sometimes i do by mistake too. i don't feel bad.

 

[Woody06]

The thing that I always tell people when I'm showing them how to drive a clutch is to give it a little gas while letting out the clutch and as soon as you start to feel it to take stop letting out the clutch and give it more gas. The main thing that trips people up is when they keep letting the clutch without any more gas and kill it. This also works if you have to get started on hills, keep your foot on the brake and while in gear slowly let out the clutch, as soon as you feel it start to take let off the brake and give it gas. If you don't let the clutch start to grab you'll roll backwards. Good luck.

 

[bmacd]

it's just going to cause you to have to replace it sooner, i'd imagine. Wait until somebody like Roger or Notfred posts...they're the house grease monkeys.

-=bmacd=-

 

[Dragnov]

Originally posted by: Evadman
Don't press down at all. it lessens the clamping force, and you will roast your clutch. Have your clutch adjusted, it should release around 1/2 way down.

WEll its a new car so I don't think anythings is reall wrong with it. Basic 2002 Nissan Frontier. It's my brothers car but he took mine for the week, so I need to learn quick so I'm not stuck at home. Maybe I'm just not used to it.

If I press it less than halfway (before it releases) does that matter still?

Also, when I'm changing gears should I let go of the gas completeley? Do I also need to press the clutch all the way down? Right now, I press clutch, let go of gas, switch gears, let go of gas and then hit the gas again. They are strictly seperated as fo now.

I've been practicing on and off today aroudn my neighborhood. I can get going w/o stalling 90% of the time. (I don't lurch or anything, its pretty smooth... just gotta practice more). I'm still too scared of stalling though and embarassing myself to take it out on the streets just yet.

 

[bmacd]

Originally posted by: Woody06
The thing that I always tell people when I'm showing them how to drive a clutch is to give it a little gas while letting out the clutch and as soon as you start to feel it to take stop letting out the clutch and give it more gas. The main thing that trips people up is when they keep letting the clutch without any more gas and kill it. This also works if you have to get started on hills, keep your foot on the brake and while in gear slowly let out the clutch, as soon as you feel it start to take let off the brake and give it gas. If you don't let the clutch start to grab you'll roll backwards. Good luck.

he knows how (for the most part) how to drive a manny...he just said that he likes to ride the clutch when he shifts into neutral.

-=bmacd=-

 

[AntaresVI]

Originally posted by: Woody06
The thing that I always tell people when I'm showing them how to drive a clutch is to give it a little gas while letting out the clutch and as soon as you start to feel it to take stop letting out the clutch and give it more gas. The main thing that trips people up is when they keep letting the clutch without any more gas and kill it. This also works if you have to get started on hills, keep your foot on the brake and while in gear slowly let out the clutch, as soon as you feel it start to take let off the brake and give it gas. If you don't let the clutch start to grab you'll roll backwards. Good luck.

We have the off-topic award winner for tonight.

 

[LS20]

huh? i dont even understand what you are saying

its believed that holding down your clutch when its unnecessary (ie at a stop, or coasting, when you can just put it in Neutral) will prematurely wear out your throw-out bearing... so its not good practice, tho i dont really care

also resting your foot on the clutch is not bad cuz the clutch will be partially engaged so ofcousre it wears out faster... i rest my foto on there anyways ... as long as its still i nthe freeplay and not actually disengaging the clutch then its cool

 

[Dragnov]

Originally posted by: LS20
huh? i dont even understand what you are saying

its believed that holding down your clutch when its unnecessary (ie at a stop, or coasting, when you can just put it in Neutral) will prematurely wear out your throw-out bearing... so its not good practice, tho i dont really care

also resting your foot on the clutch is not bad cuz the clutch will be partially engaged so ofcousre it wears out faster... i rest my foto on there anyways ... as long as its still i nthe freeplay and not actually disengaging the clutch then its cool

I'm reaching near a stop sign. I proceed to put the car in neutral (as its nearing the stop), but after doing so I still leave my left foot partially down on the clutch after switching to neutral.

 

[JeffreyLebowski]

hell if it's not your vehicle, power shift.

 

[WinkOsmosis]

Why do you have it in neutral in the first place? Is this when coming to a stop?
Edit: Doh I just read. Yeah it doesn't matter where the clutch is.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Don't put your car in neutral at all. Push down on the clutch and shift into first. Keep your foot down, then release while giving gas. Being in neutral makes you a sitting duck. If something comes at you, it will take longer to get out of it's way.

 

[bmacd]

Originally posted by: Hayabusarider
Don't put your car in neutral at all. Push down on the clutch and shift into first. Keep your foot down, then release while giving gas. Being in neutral makes you a sitting duck. If something comes at you, it will take longer to get out of it's way.

like a kid in your neighborhood that jumps after a ball that rolls in front of your car.

-=bmacd=-

 

[dethman]

Originally posted by: Hayabusarider
Don't put your car in neutral at all. Push down on the clutch and shift into first. Keep your foot down, then release while giving gas. Being in neutral makes you a sitting duck. If something comes at you, it will take longer to get out of it's way.

i just put it in neutral and coast to a stop.

i could've sworn you're never supposed to downshift into first.

 

[Triumph]

Here, I'll simplify this thread. Just let the clutch out when you're at that stop light. Depress it again only when you're ready to move. Your clutch wants to be in the out position, by holding it in you're pushing it against its will! Here, learn how a clutch works while you're at it.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Originally posted by: bmacd

Originally posted by: Hayabusarider Don't put your car in neutral at all. Push down on the clutch and shift into first. Keep your foot down, then release while giving gas. Being in neutral makes you a sitting duck. If something comes at you, it will take longer to get out of it's way.

like a kid in your neighborhood that jumps after a ball that rolls in front of your car. -=bmacd=-

I was thinking more of that old fossil looking through the steering wheel of his 73 Impala, who does not see you even though you had a strobe on the roof. I tend to drive a car the same way as the bike. Always look for a way out before you need one.

 

[WinkOsmosis]

Originally posted by: dethman

Originally posted by: Hayabusarider
Don't put your car in neutral at all. Push down on the clutch and shift into first. Keep your foot down, then release while giving gas. Being in neutral makes you a sitting duck. If something comes at you, it will take longer to get out of it's way.

i just put it in neutral and coast to a stop.

i could've sworn you're never supposed to downshift into first.

I dunno about you, but I can't downshift into 1st without stopping since there's no synchro for 1st.

 

[StageLeft]

How clutches work. When you continually press it down while the car is under power it's known as riding the clutch. Since the clutch consists of two "plates" that are spinning beside each other as you ride the clutch the pressure between the plates will be low enough that instead of the plates locking together they are now spinning at different speeds. That burns the crap out of a clutch - kind of like how brake pads wear away from a car.

Damn triumph posted the howstuffworks clutch link. damn him!

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Originally posted by: Jellomancer

Originally posted by: dethman

Originally posted by: Hayabusarider Don't put your car in neutral at all. Push down on the clutch and shift into first. Keep your foot down, then release while giving gas. Being in neutral makes you a sitting duck. If something comes at you, it will take longer to get out of it's way.

i just put it in neutral and coast to a stop. i could've sworn you're never supposed to downshift into first.

I dunno about you, but I can't downshift into 1st without stopping since there's no synchro for 1st.

Really? If I am going slow, I can shift into any gear except reverse (of course). Last 4 cars I had were like that.

 

[vi edit]

I never even drop it into first when coming to a stop. I just dump into second and ride that all the way to a stop. Then again, last couple cars I had that were sticks were torquey enough(for their size) to take off in third from a dead stop.

 

[GroundedSailor]

When driving a stick shift NEVER coast in neutral. The only times you depres a clutch is when you are changing gear, or just before you come to complete stop.

By coasting you are in essence freewheeling, which means the car is not under your control. That is dangerous. If you feel you are going too slow for the gear , shift to a lower gear. this is also a good way of using the engne to slow the car down - specially if your brakes fail.

The way to change gear is to let go the gas andn press the clutch at the same time, change the gear & then give gas and release the clutch at the same time (this takes a little practise to get the coordination right but once you get the hang of it you never forget).

Stick shifts may be a pain to drive in traffic but they are more fun.

Good luck

 

[Triumph]

Originally posted by: Skoorb
How clutches work. When you continually press it down while the car is under power it's known as riding the clutch. Since the clutch consists of two "plates" that are spinning beside each other as you ride the clutch the pressure between the plates will be low enough that instead of the plates locking together they are now spinning at different speeds. That burns the crap out of a clutch - kind of like how brake pads wear away from a car.

Damn triumph posted the howstuffworks clutch link. damn him!

Mua-hahahaha!

 

[Triumph]

i don't buy the "safety" argument. if my brakes fail, my engine will NOT slow me down fast enough to do any good (i.e. if a kid runs out into the street). not even if I went from 4th to 2nd. and there are many circumstances where my car's acceleration wouldn't be fast enough to get me out of trouble. if someone is about to t-bone me, my car won't be able to accelerate quick enough to get out of the way even if i was in gear, especially if it's a higher gear. sure it's a good idea to leave it in gear, but i hate hearing people spouting "omg leaving it in gear is the worst thing you can ever do worse than killing babies!"