this may frighten some but....does it wear out the clutch wh

[Guest Anonymous]

I keep my foot down, on the clutch at stop lights for a peried of time? I thought "riding the clutch" meant puting your foot on the clutch while driving.

Ive been keeping my foot on the clutch at stop lights, signs etc for...forever. does that do damage?

[Guest Anonymous]

Nothing more frustrating than sitting behind some nimrod at the green light while he tries to put his car in gear before going, like he had no idea that the light was ever going to turn green!!!!!

I don't think there's any harm in that. I usually do the same thing unless it's a particularly long light, then I may put it in nuetral for a bit. But always in gear clutch in ready for the green, isn't every green light really a mini drag race?? ;-)

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BigDog

'76 2002

[Guest Anonymous]

Don't worry about the clutch. Do avoid it when possible to reduce wear to the main thrust bearing and crank thrust surface. This is especially true if you are running a clutch pressure plate with a higher clamping pressure.

[Guest Anonymous]

is by watching the "dont walk" sign....when the orange sign starts flashing...start putting it into gear.

Ive seen some really stoopid people, hit the person in front, because that front person hadnt started driving when the light changed. "hello???? did u see them move yet?"

[Guest Anonymous]

When I was learning to drive I was guilty of this a lot. Basically it involves keeping your left foot on the clutch pedal all the time, which can apply pressure and allow for slippage.

It's really easy to slip into this habit if you're driving in traffuck alot. I make sure and make a concious effort to put my foot down on the floor after each shift, and when cruising along.

Another "trick" to learn is how to "blip" the throttle on downshifting. I downshift probably more than most, virtually every light or stop sign I approach. This is a tap on the gas to bring the RPMs up to where the lower gear will be... That being said, it may be a good thing to take a drivers school from your local club to learn this is you're a stick shift rookie... I've got big feet and can heel-toe both the brake and gas with my right foot and it is how I learned to drive a stick 20+ years ago...

Final tip... Use the E-brake on hills. Too many people don't know this one, makes life a lot easier to not roll backwards while engaging the clutch.

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BigDog

'76 2002

[Guest Anonymous]

throwout bearing...the lube will eventually leak out, the T/O bearing will seize and then the tranny has to come out to replace it.

My late father-in-law used to say, "don't put your foot on the clutch unless you're changing gears."

Mike

[Guest Anonymous]

(nt)

[Guest Anonymous]

Do not leave your foot on the clutch with the car in gear at a light. It will eventually kill the TO bearing.

Mike (#87)

[Guest Anonymous]

Just enough to keep it from stalling and just enough to stop it from roling back. I usually do that. I usually roll back and forth though, not just feather them enough to keep it at a stop.

[Guest Anonymous]

use the hand brake to keep you from going backwards.

[Guest Anonymous]

(nt)

[Guest Anonymous]

(nt)

[Guest Anonymous]

URL: http://www.seamsperfect.ca

I ALWAYS leave my car if first gear, foot on clutch at a light. Why? If someone comes barelling down the road behind me, I have an opportunity to get out of his/her way! If the car is in neutral, you'll never get it in gear, and get out of the way quick enough. I was always taught to sit at the light, car in gear, and watch what is going on around me, including my rear view mirror.

I used this theory about a month ago. I was in my 535, heading down to the body shop. I stopped at a cross walk to let someone cross. Woman in a car behind me never saw me sitting there, and nearly barelled into the back of me. Last second, I saw her in the mirror, cranked the wheel left, hit the gas, and dumped the clutch. We squirted out of the way JUST enough to get out of here way. Her front bumper was all the way up beside my B pillar! Scary stuff, and I never would have got out of the way if I were in neautral.

I would prefer some excess wear on throwout bearing, to being rear ended. That logic runs right along with the idea that slowing down without gearing down is the way to do it, because brake pads are cheaper than driveline bits. Nonsense I say!

Al

[Guest Anonymous]

Always be in a gear that lets you get on the gas HARD in case you need to. Thus the downshifting, and sitting clutch in at lights.

Stopping in a hurry is easy, both feet in. If you're not in the correct gear, GOING in a hurry can require some coordination!

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BigDog

'76 2002

[Guest Anonymous]

I've always left my foot in the clutch at intersections for the reasons Al discusses below and in the 4 clutchs I've worn out during my time driving, I've never had a TO bearing go before the clutch. In other words, I think the engineers have designed the TO bearing to outlast the clutch. When you replace the clutch who doesn't also replace the TO bearing?