Correct driving of Manual.

Yellow_Festiva · 21-11-2006, 05:45 PM

Hey all,

I drive my car by using the clutch only when im about to change gears. If im waiting at the lights the car is in neutral and my left foot is on the foot rest. Lights go green, cluth in, slot in first and cluth out.

Many friends both young and old seem to love waiting at the lights in first gear with the cluth to the floor, even if they know they will be waiting there for a few minutes.... one mate told me this was done so he takes off quicker / faster (total BS if you ask me) however he also assured me that his driving style is the correct method and will not make the cluth wear out any faster than my driving style.

Who is right????

XA Coupsta · 21-11-2006, 05:47 PM

oh man.........im guessing a thread of biblical proportions happening here......similar to the left foot/right foot braking thread..............

gozza · 21-11-2006, 05:49 PM

Techinically your your not supposed to have the clutch engaged whilst at a stop.....that will passs your test

but in everyday situations ...i guess what ever works best for the driver.....if the lights are going to go soon ill leave the clutch in...if ive just got the red i'll disengage

Mack 6 · 21-11-2006, 05:50 PM

Umm six of one and half dozen of the other I guess. Riding the clutch (lifting off till the clutch and pressure plate touch just enough to counteract any slope) will wear out the clutch quicker.

Coming from driving trucks which have a heavy clutch, leave the box in neutral and watch the lights. if you know the sequence, slip it into gear just before the lights before you go.
Other than that, there is no real difference/advantage.

NA XR6 · 21-11-2006, 05:52 PM

Depends on the mood either way for day to day driving i would say

Yellow_Festiva · 21-11-2006, 05:54 PM

Ok thanx thus far...

Yeah please no abuse either way regarding what is the better method, just keep it clean and on topic

RUQ1KA · 21-11-2006, 05:54 PM

when im at the lights or a stop, i always have my car in 1st, and the clutch in, its just easier i think, and doesnt waste time when the lights go green

nat_daly · 21-11-2006, 05:55 PM

go the yellow festy!

4.9 EF Futura · 21-11-2006, 06:02 PM

Anytime the clutch is disengaged (pedal down), you're removing the "slack" which the thrust bearing (referred to as the throwaway bearing as well) is afforded when the clutch is engaged (pedal up).

This increases wear on the bearing.

Seeing as, in order to drive the car, the clutch must be used - wear on this item is inevitable. But when you're changing gears, the clutch is only in for a fraction of a second... if you're getting ready to take off, it may be in for a few seconds.

But if you're sitting there at the lights with the clutch in, its causing unecessary wear and tear on the thrust bearing.

Being able to pick the sound of a "bad" thrust bearing was one of the first things i learnt about a car.

NOT sitting there with the clutch down for longer than you have to was one of the first things i learnt about driving a manual.

I thought the thrust bearing issue was common knowledge.

Psycho Chicken · 21-11-2006, 06:09 PM

......clutch?

4.9 EF Futura · 21-11-2006, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Psycho Chicken

......clutch?

Haha. Go on out for a drive in your mobile loungeroom, gramps!! lol

Paris Hilton · 21-11-2006, 06:15 PM

my cars clutch starts hurting my foot if i hold it in for a bit, so i always leave it in neutral at the lights...

Lukeyson · 21-11-2006, 06:21 PM

i leave in neutral at the lights, just easier, and when you frequent the same sets of lights you know the light cycle anywho.

And i was told when i got my 1st car that it stretches your clutch cable quicker if you have your foot on the clutch at the lights ?

MITCHAY · 21-11-2006, 06:30 PM

If I'm held up at the lights, I have it in neutral. It also get's too heavy if I hold it in for a decent amount of time.

I put it into first when I know it's about to go green. Slight revs to get moving then punch it, slam second and I'm away!

flappist · 21-11-2006, 06:33 PM

Depends on who is paying......

I usually drop into neutral with the exception of when the lights are on a steepish grade and some idiot is about 3cm behind me in which case I engage the handbrake load up the clutch and hover on it for a few seconds before the lights change to green.
I wears a bit but prevents the potential roll back 4cm into the aforemetioned idiot and being legally liable.

**Silver Ghia** · 21-11-2006, 06:35 PM

Yep, at the lights I leave it in Neutral with the clutch out.

Then when they're about to change, put it in First.

I always think about the clutch bearing wearing away because of the load on it, when the clutch is pushed in.

But I dont put it in Neutral if the lights will change within the next 5-10 seconds or so, as this puts another unnecessary cycle on the pedal/cable or pedal/hydraulic system.

Whats worse are those who drive with their foot resting (even lightly) on the clutch pedal!!

GXL078 · 21-11-2006, 06:49 PM

I like to make sure I am in 1st gear. I hate taking off in third so I check it is in 1st and sit with the clutch in, usually, unless I am feeling lazy then I just put hand brake on

Dezza · 21-11-2006, 06:50 PM

Depends on how long I expect the lights to stay red for. If the light has just turned red before I reached the intersection, I will put it in neutral, but when I expect it to turn green, that's when I put it in gear. Since putting the T5 in last weekend, I've found it easy to find the point in which I can hold it on a slope

BlewThunder · 21-11-2006, 06:54 PM

My old man has been in the taxi/transport game for over 30 years, when he drove taxi's they were obviously auto, but now he has Commuter buses and they have all been manual. He NEVER puts it in neutral while at lights. The extra wear on the thrust bearing is minimal at best, and it's most infuriating when at the lights and someone is not paying attention to the change of lights THEN ontop of that they have to clutch in and find first. If you were in an auto would you pull up to the lights and select neutral or park? I would suggest (and also hope) that the answer is no.

DanielXR8 · 21-11-2006, 07:35 PM

I always put the car in neutral, use the hand brake and disengage the clutch when at the lights. The difference in time to get underway again is a fraction of a second and if you are watching the traffic, you can anticipate the lights changing anyway and start getting prepared.

My main reason for doing it, is to do with the risk of being shunted from behind and in my surprise letting the clutch slip and driving into traffic. It's bad enough to have that scenario when I am pushed, rather then driving out in the middle of the road.

Same reason I never, ever, turn my wheels when stopped and waiting to turn across oncoming traffic to a sidestreet or something. If I get hit from behind, I want to go forward and not into the opposing direction of traffic. Amazing to me the amount of people who do turn the wheels though.

Dan

Psycho Chicken · 21-11-2006, 07:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4.9 EF Futura

Haha. Go on out for a drive in your mobile loungeroom, gramps!! lol

:P

Seriously, it's way more fun starting the car in first, clutchless upshifting is easy, blipping the throttle with a little pressure on the gate to downshift and turning the car off when you come to a stop. Replacing clutches is too much effort!

**Silver Ghia** · 21-11-2006, 08:19 PM

One instance where I ALWAYS put it in Neutral, and also put on the handbrake....

at a railway crossing.

BlueRaven · 21-11-2006, 08:27 PM

When my wife learnt to drive a manual, she was told to keep the clutch engaged during the lights. In fact, she was told she would fail if she put it in neutral at the traffic lights.

That said,

I put it in neutral and if I know i'm going to be at the lights for a while, I'll use the hand brake. If the car has a park brake, unless i'm in a traffic jam i'll just put my foot on the brake.

Bill_R · 21-11-2006, 08:59 PM

Leaving the clutch in and car in gear gives you an extra control quickly ready if you need it - shunted from behind, have to move forward etc.

it depends on the situation and how my foot/leg feels whether I leave it in or not.

Outbackjack · 21-11-2006, 09:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4.9 EF Futura

Anytime the clutch is disengaged (pedal down), you're removing the "slack" which the thrust bearing (referred to as the throwaway bearing as well) is afforded when the clutch is engaged (pedal up).

This increases wear on the bearing.

Seeing as, in order to drive the car, the clutch must be used - wear on this item is inevitable. But when you're changing gears, the clutch is only in for a fraction of a second... if you're getting ready to take off, it may be in for a few seconds.

But if you're sitting there at the lights with the clutch in, its causing unecessary wear and tear on the thrust bearing.

Being able to pick the sound of a "bad" thrust bearing was one of the first things i learnt about a car.

NOT sitting there with the clutch down for longer than you have to was one of the first things i learnt about driving a manual.

I thought the thrust bearing issue was common knowledge.

This is the beginning, the middle, and the end of the story......

There is nothing else to it....

GXL078 · 21-11-2006, 09:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlewThunder

My old man has been in the taxi/transport game for over 30 years, when he drove taxi's they were obviously auto, but now he has Commuter buses and they have all been manual. He NEVER puts it in neutral while at lights. The extra wear on the thrust bearing is minimal at best, and it's most infuriating when at the lights and someone is not paying attention to the change of lights THEN ontop of that they have to clutch in and find first. If you were in an auto would you pull up to the lights and select neutral or park? I would suggest (and also hope) that the answer is no.

My mum drove MANUAL taxis for nearly 20 years! Someone told her they were cheaper to maintain than autos. She drove XC's and XD's column shifts with no power steer.

T3man · 21-11-2006, 09:15 PM

When waiting at the traffic light you should be in first gear, clutch pedal depressed, ready to move ahead as necessary. As some people have pointed out it is for the "readiness" factor - getting out of the way quickly if someone coming up behind can't stop in time. Believe me this can happen - I've seen it happen to a car that had been stationery at a red for over 30 secs.

The first part of a clutch assembly to wear out under normal driving is always the disc - not the pressure plate and definitely not the throw-out bearing. So there is NO mechanical reason to sit in neutral with the clutch engaged (pedal up). If a throw-out bearing is noisy or shows sign or wear it is only because many workshops don't replace them as they should at every clutch change. It is not uncommon for a throw-out bearing to last through two or three clutches.

GlennBA · 21-11-2006, 09:17 PM

I always leave it in first with the clutch in when coming to a stop, unless i pull over on the side of the road or something.

**Silver Ghia** · 21-11-2006, 09:24 PM

There was suggestion recently that Mark Skaife leaves it in third at the lights, with the clutch in.

sarrge2001 · 21-11-2006, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silver Ghia

There was suggestion recently that Mark Skaife leaves it in third at the lights, with the clutch in.