How abusive to the clutch is this?

[ADFD1]

Originally Posted By: rationull
Originally Posted By: Captain_Klink
I agree with mechtech2, just use the handbrake until the correct friction point is reached, the just engage the clutch. reverse gear is really slow, so you should be able to park it in one go. if you can't do it in one go, then practice parking on the level until you can. also, modern bumpers can take a slight tap, so you don't really have to worry if you overshoot slightly.





Not saying it can't be done, but significant grades and low-torque engines both compound the problem.


Agreed, and sometimes it is just better to find another parking spot.

AD

 

[George7941]

I park on the street in front of my house and it is fairly steep (downhill), about a 1 in 7 slope. Unless the parking spot is at least 5 ft longer than my truck (my truck is fairly wide) I will not even attempt to park and will park at another spot, even if that spot is a thousand feet away.

On level ground I will squeeze into much tighter spots but I am not going to stress my clutch on slopes. My v6 is not torquey and, with 3.23 rears, the gearing is tall. My previous truck, a 1986 F250, had a granny low gear and I did not have to slip the clutch much but the Sierra is a totally different beast.

I will repeat, I have never stressed any clutch to the point where I could smell it burning.

 

[demarpaint]

I walk the extra distance to avoid problem spots. My van has a 3.55 rear, and stressing the clutch isn't worth the extra 30 second walk finding a better spot.

 

[mstrjon32]

You need to learn to parallel park more quickly...then you can let the clutch all the way out and do it in one smooth motion without riding it.

 

[George7941]

Originally Posted By: mstrjon32
You need to learn to parallel park more quickly...then you can let the clutch all the way out and do it in one smooth motion without riding it.


Not that simple, Bud. If it is a very tight spot, you have to back in part way, check and back up some more. If it is really tight I sometimes have to get out of my truck and take a look before completing the parking.

 

[rationull]

In mstrjon's defense, though, I could use some more practice parallel parking this car. It's a small car so the problems you cite aren't really as pronounced as they are in a pickup. But the way the darn fenders all slope down (can't see the hood, the corners, or the trunk lid from inside the car) makes it kind of a PITA. Sometimes I miss having a small hatchback.

 

[VW_TDI_PD]

Originally Posted By: Maritime Storm
Originally Posted By: VW_TDI_PD


Anyways, in an attempt to "smooth" things out, i did MULTIPLE drag style clutch slipping launches, lots of clutch smell, and also, to avoid the annoying shudder i would rev it to about 2k and slip the clutch heavily from a stop light. Trust me, there has been 10 times as much slipping (on purpoe) in my cars than yours.


I'm hoping you had the flywheel resurfaced when you replaced the clutch, it would have removed the vibration without having to abuse your car the way you did.


Dude, I got a brand new flywheel. And the clutch disc was STILL fine, not worn to the rivets. I did the drag launch slips before i changed the clutch and flywheel in a last ditch effort.

 

[VW_TDI_PD]

Originally Posted By: ADFD1
Originally Posted By: Maritime Storm
Originally Posted By: VW_TDI_PD


Anyways, in an attempt to "smooth" things out, i did MULTIPLE drag style clutch slipping launches, lots of clutch smell, and also, to avoid the annoying shudder i would rev it to about 2k and slip the clutch heavily from a stop light. Trust me, there has been 10 times as much slipping (on purpoe) in my cars than yours.


I'm hoping you had the flywheel resurfaced when you replaced the clutch, it would have removed the vibration without having to abuse your car the way you did.


Wow how long would a clutch last under those conditions?

AD


Clutch still had life left when I replaced it, along with the flywheel and pressure plate. I just need the flywheel replaced, and I wasnt gonna put the old clutch disc back on.

 

[pzev]

I was getting new tires soon, so I figured I would send the old ones out in some style.
Turns out the smoke me and my buddys saw was not from the tires.....


My clutch still works fine.



You should be ok, just don't do that everyday.

 

[rationull]

Originally Posted By: pzev
I was getting new tires soon, so I figured I would send the old ones out in some style.
Turns out the smoke me and my buddys saw was not from the tires.....


Ouch! What kind of car?

 

[pzev]

Ford Focus, 2.3L with about 70k miles (at time of incident). Sticky tires + some performance add ons + a factory clutch thats already at its limit with a stock engine = a cookout instead of a burnout.

The worst part was the smell that lingered for about a week reminding me of my failure....and I call myself a gear head

 

[VW_TDI_PD]

Haha happened to me once in an Lt4 vette I used to have at the bloomington gold cruise, there was a line of cars lined up doing burnouts one after another in a line, I got up there, revved it high, dropped the clutch and SMOKE! But no tire spinning... at all. Clutch still worked fine after that, including drag strip usage and lots of powershifting.

 

[M1Accord]

Automatic rules in hill climbing and traffic jam. Newer automatic also rules in racing and daily driving. I rather not have the stick since gas mileage is the same for both transmission and manual seems to rev the engine higher than I would like.

 

[mstrjon32]

Originally Posted By: George7941
Not that simple, Bud. If it is a very tight spot, you have to back in part way, check and back up some more. If it is really tight I sometimes have to get out of my truck and take a look before completing the parking.


I can sling my Jeep into most spots in one smooth motion, perhaps pulling ahead to center it afterwards. If I do have to do it in two (or very rarely more) motions, I'm quick on and off the clutch, rather than riding it to crawl along. A steep hill makes it a bit more challenging, but still manageable. It just takes practice.

 

[rationull]

Originally Posted By: mstrjon32

I can sling my Jeep into most spots in one smooth motion, perhaps pulling ahead to center it afterwards. If I do have to do it in two (or very rarely more) motions, I'm quick on and off the clutch, rather than riding it to crawl along. A steep hill makes it a bit more challenging, but still manageable. It just takes practice.


I believe it. But you've gotta admit it's still going to be variable car-by-car. It's one thing in a Jeep and another in a Civic with a 3.31 reverse gear, a 4.29 final drive, and too little torque to pull it up at idle. I tested it this morning, reverse at ~1000 RPMs is 4-5 mph. Maybe I'm just a pansy but that's too fast for me to back in and steer.

Not saying I couldn't use some more practice though.

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: rationull
Originally Posted By: mstrjon32

I can sling my Jeep into most spots in one smooth motion, perhaps pulling ahead to center it afterwards. If I do have to do it in two (or very rarely more) motions, I'm quick on and off the clutch, rather than riding it to crawl along. A steep hill makes it a bit more challenging, but still manageable. It just takes practice.


I believe it. But you've gotta admit it's still going to be variable car-by-car. It's one thing in a Jeep and another in a Civic with a 3.31 reverse gear, a 4.29 final drive, and too little torque to pull it up at idle. I tested it this morning, reverse at ~1000 RPMs is 4-5 mph. Maybe I'm just a pansy but that's too fast for me to back in and steer.

Not saying I couldn't use some more practice though.


It has a lot to do with the vehicle and how it's geared. I had an 85 E-150 4.9L with a 4 speed stick and a 3.00 rear. At about 80 mph it was turning a little less than 2000 rpms. It literally couldn't get out of its own way, and downshifting was often needed on slight inclines. Backing that into a spot on a hill was a PIA, and I'm considered quite good driving a stick. Take that same engine with a 3.73 rear, and everything becomes easier. The only thing is mpg's drop.

Situtations like backing into a tight spot on a hill with tall gearing gives you two choices. 1. You're on the clutch more than you want to be. 2. Find another spot.