The "DO's and DONT's" of driving a clutch

[Hemlawk]

I'm still fairly new to driving a clutch. Are there any rules I should follow strictly?

Things I've herd from friends (myths?). Sounds like BS to me....
-Dont skip gears
-Push the clutch all the way down when shifting
-DONT sit at a light with the clutch in while in gear, better to stay in neutral
-downshift to save your brakes

[NicksVSix]

Originally Posted by Hemlawk

I'm still fairly new to driving a clutch. Are there any rules I should follow strictly?

Things I've herd from friends (myths?). Sounds like BS to me....
-Dont skip gears
-Push the clutch all the way down when shifting
-DONT sit at a light with the clutch in while in gear, better to stay in neutral
-downshift to save your brakes

I don't think it matters if you skip gears, so long as your RPMs are high or low enough for the gear you're shifting into.

Definitely push the clutch all the way down.

I put my car in neutral when stopped at a light, but I'm not sure if this one matters.

Downshifting to save your brakes works, but you're not supposed to do this while you're in your break in period.

That's all I got for ya.

[AngusYoung]

Well in UK or somewhere like that they make you use your emergency brake if your in neutral in case your hit and pass out when at a stop light. So usually i just have it in 1st and the clutch in so it will die if i get hit

[cubjag]

Never understood downshifting to save your brakes?? Brake pads are relatively inexpensive whereas the transmission is not. I'd rather have more wear on the brake pads myself.

[booenson]

Skip all the gears that you want... hell, GM put the 1-4 skipshift in there, I'm sure if it was bad to skip gears then they wouldn't have.

You can get away with pushing down the clutch just far enough to disengage it, anything past is just an extra motion that's not 'required'.

Personally I don't think it matters if you sit at a light with the tranny in gear, the clutch is fully disengaged and there won't be any contact, thus no wear. However, if you sit there on a hill, for example, and are riding the clutch to stay still, then that'll cause excess and unneeded wear.

And finally, this I never got. Brake pads compared to a clutch, which is cheaper to change out? I'd much rather use my brakes to slow down.

[nancygrl]

Originally Posted by Hemlawk

Things I've herd from friends (myths?). Sounds like BS to me....
-Dont skip gears
-Push the clutch all the way down when shifting
-DONT sit at a light with the clutch in while in gear, better to stay in neutral
-downshift to save your brakes

Well the first one is BS. We have skip shift. I skip gears all the time, depends on speed and engine rpms. 1 to 3, 2 to 4. Been doing this since '96 when I got my 1st gm 6 speed without any issues.
If you're new to manuals, then I'd stick with pushing the clutch down all the way until you get more experience.
Sitting at a light either with or without the clutch depressed is your choice. Personally I sit in neutral at lights.
As for engine braking....It does save your brakes, but not any extent that you'll notice on a street car, and not worth burning out your clutch prematurely. Brakes are easier and cheaper to change out than a clutch is.

[enyce0387]

Holding in the clutch causes the throw out bearing to wear out faster, skipping gears = fine hence 1st to 4th skip from the factory, much easier and cheaper to change brakes then transmission parts, if ur new to a stick I would push the clutch all the way in during shifts until u learn the point on ur car where the clutch is completely disengaged.

[1o.f00t.570rk]

So when you say downshift to break, does that mean you are rev-matching to the new lower gear and letting yourself coast down? Or are you letting the clutch out without rev-matching, and in turn slowing the vehicle and forcing the engine to rev?

[ackeight]

Originally Posted by 1o.f00t.570rk

So when you say downshift to break, does that mean you are rev-matching to the new lower gear and letting yourself coast down? Or are you letting the clutch out without rev-matching, and in turn slowing the vehicle and forcing the engine to rev?

I rev match to save on the clutch/tranny as should everyone else. It won't really wear the clutch that much and it just sounds cool. If I need to stop a little quicker than normal I just use the brakes/downshift combo.

[Pollock]

When you get really good at driving you can shift without pushing in the clutch.

[PercyJWellingtonIII]

1 do is to occaissionally burn rubber when going into second.

[GeorgeM]

Originally Posted by Hemlawk

I'm still fairly new to driving a clutch. Are there any rules I should follow strictly?

Things I've herd from friends (myths?). Sounds like BS to me....
-Dont skip gears
-Push the clutch all the way down when shifting
-DONT sit at a light with the clutch in while in gear, better to stay in neutral
-downshift to save your brakes

Forget the downshifting to save your brakes. The gasoline usage (due to the revving) and constant torque demand on your drivetrain will kill your u-joints. It's not worth it to extend brake pad life.

GeorgeM

[NYJets77]

Originally Posted by cubjag

Never understood downshifting to save your brakes?? Brake pads are relatively inexpensive whereas the transmission is not. I'd rather have more wear on the brake pads myself.

yup - what I was taught; plus braking is visible to the car behind, while downshifting is NOT.

[Trevorw24]

I was taught not to stay in neutral while at a light, because you have to be ready to react if something was to happen. If in neutral you would have to clutch in and shift to first. If you're already there you can just move.