YACT: Best way to go up inclines from a start with MT?

[MercenaryForHire]

Originally posted by: NutBucket

Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire
Or you can just redline it and dump the clutch after you bounce off the rev limiter a few times.

- M4H

Can I try that in your car?

Hey, hey, no neutral drops in the old slushbox. You wanna brakestand for a second, that's fine, but the transmission's got enough life on it as it is.

- M4H

 

[Thegonagle]

You'll get better.

Practice, in a safe location, the heel and toe technique. It's a method to operate the brake and the gas simultaneously with your right foot, while your left foot is on the clutch. Put your right foot on the brake and then pivot your foot so you can stretch your toes toward the gas pedal. You don't need to be able to floor it or anything, you only need to be able to tap it like 5%. Use your toes to control the gas and the ball of your foot to control the <edit> brakes.

When starting on a steep hill, ease your toes over to give it some gas while keeping the brakes applied. Start using the clutch and giving it gas as if you were taking off normally, but stay on the brakes at the same time. Once you get the clutch to the point where it's starting to pull, then let go of the brakes and stay steady on the throttle.

Simple, right?

You'll suck the first few times you try. It takes some time to develop the coordination. You'll mess up a lot, your foot will slip off the brake, or you'll accidentally slam 'em on, etc., so try this pedal action on flat, open land, such as a big empty parking lot after hours.

Once you understand how to move your foot and how that feels, you can graduate to the empty loading dock ramp and practice some more on an incline.

Another manual transmission hint: Take advantage of the parking lot to get a good feel for the clutch and a steady left foot by starting from a stop, in first gear, by [/i] s l o w l y [/i] letting up the clutch and giving it no gas at all. Only allow it to idle. After several seconds, you'll end up idling along at about 5 MPH, with your foot fully off the clutch. Once you can do that a few times without stalling, you'll feel like a pro when you're out on the streets (if you're not already confident enough out there).

(BTW, doubters that you can successfully do that without stalling the engine, go try it a few times. I've been successful in every single car I've tried it with.)

 

[Whisper]

Originally posted by: alkemyst

Originally posted by: NutBucket

Originally posted by: Heisenberg
Use the parking brake?! WTF. Just learn how to let out the clutch and push on the gas with enough coordination to not stall the car. It's not rocket science people.

Right, especially when rolling backwards.

and with someone right on your bumper.

I've only used a parking brake to start from a stop on a hill once or twice, just to see how it felt. Interesting, but too much of a pain to do it all the time. If someone's right on my a$$, then I'll just roll back a bit anyways to freak them out. They shouldn't have pulled up that close behind me in the first place.

Yes, I'm a dick when I drive.

 

[ApacheXMD]

i live in San Francisco where hills are the rule, not the exception. I just do the regular clutch out, only faster. No biggie.

-patchy

 

[Pliablemoose]

He he, one of the things my wife was impressed about me-I could drive a MT smoothly.

She still freaks out that I can shift without the clutch

 

[Whisper]

Originally posted by: Thegonagle
You'll get better.

Practice, in a safe location, the heel and toe technique. It's a method to operate the brake and the gas simultaneously with your right foot, while your left foot is on the clutch. Put your right foot on the brake and then pivot your foot so you can stretch your toes toward the gas pedal. You don't need to be able to floor it or anything, you only need to be able to tap it like 5%. Use your toes to control the gas and the ball of your foot to control the throttle.

When starting on a steep hill, ease your toes over to give it some gas while keeping the brakes applied. Start using the clutch and giving it gas as if you were taking off normally, but stay on the brakes at the same time. Once you get the clutch to the point where it's starting to pull, then let go of the brakes and stay steady on the throttle.

Simple, right?

You'll suck the first few times you try. It takes some time to develop the coordination. You'll mess up a lot, your foot will slip off the brake, or you'll accidentally slam 'em on, etc., so try this pedal action on flat, open land, such as a big empty parking lot after hours.

Once you understand how to move your foot and how that feels, you can graduate to the empty loading dock ramp and practice some more on an incline.

Another manual transmission hint: Take advantage of the parking lot to get a good feel for the clutch and a steady left foot by starting from a stop, in first gear, by [/i] s l o w l y [/i] letting up the clutch and giving it no gas at all. Only allow it to idle. After several seconds, you'll end up idling along at about 5 MPH, with your foot fully off the clutch. Once you can do that a few times without stalling, you'll feel like a pro when you're out on the streets (if you're not already confident enough out there).

(BTW, doubters that you can successfully do that without stalling the engine, go try it a few times. I've been successful in every single car I've tried it with.)

I thought the proper way to heel-toe shift was to use your toes for the brake, and your heel for the gas...not the other way around...? But whatever works for you and gets the job done.

And yep, it's quite possible to go from stand-still to moving without using the gas. It just takes a bit more patience with the clutch. That, and it's a pain in the a$$

 

[Shawn]

I use the parkin break. makes it easy.

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: Whisper

I've only used a parking brake to start from a stop on a hill once or twice, just to see how it felt. Interesting, but too much of a pain to do it all the time. If someone's right on my a$$, then I'll just roll back a bit anyways to freak them out. They shouldn't have pulled up that close behind me in the first place.

Yes, I'm a dick when I drive.

I was referring to when rolling back is not an option...it's doubtful here you'd be at fault even if contact was made, but still a PITA.

 

[Thegonagle]

Originally posted by: Whisper

I thought the proper way to heel-toe shift was to use your toes for the brake, and your heel for the gas...not the other way around...? But whatever works for you and gets the job done.

And yep, it's quite possible to go from stand-still to moving without using the gas. It just takes a bit more patience with the clutch. That, and it's a pain in the a$$

Well, I use my toes on the throttle, and that works for me. I'm not going to change at this point.

But you might be right. I taught myself, nobody ever showed me the "proper" technique. I have big feet, so my way is easy for me, but it might be easier for some to use their heel on the gas and the ball of foot on the brake. Thanks for pointing that out.

And that starting without using the gas thing is what I call "Lesson 1: The Clutch" whenever I show someone how to drive a stick. It only takes a few minutes, and it makes it much easier for the trainee to start coordinating the application of the gas when they already know how the clutch feels.

 

[CraigRT]

parking brake works if you are handicapped
if not, just drive normally!!!!!