Introduction plus some questions.

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comingbackdown
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Re: Introduction plus some questions.

Post by comingbackdown »

beowulf80 wrote:My clutch is simliar in a way, in that the whole engagement range is only an inch or two of travel. No doubt its a hard style to learn on, but once you've got it down you'll love it.
^This, except my truck is about maybe a 4" engagement range or thereabout, starts engaging close to the floor.
Relatively new, very grippy clutch, and a torquey V6 to contend with. I drove a manual for three years prior to getting this truck, and even then I had to get used to it, even though I've driven several manual vehicles before.

As has been stated, they key to no-gas is clutch control. Even if you have to release the clutch by millimeters at a time, no-gas is possible (on flat ground) in any manual transmission vehicle.

Let's put it this way. Jumping from an automatic to a manual, you have to start using your left leg. The average automatic driver has a left leg that isn't trained to do much except sit on the dead pedal. It lacks the fine tuning for clutch control, which must be developed. Ever tried left foot braking? I have. Nowadays, I have to have something for my left leg to do when driving an automatic, so I decided to give left foot braking a try. It took a few stops to get used to the INCREDIBLY touchy brakes on my mother's Impala, but I got used to it, and now I do that with every automatic I drive. Thing is, if you just try that out of nowhere, you're going to give yourself whiplash, because your left foot isn't trained for it. Clutch operation is different, but the same in the aspect that your left leg must learn a new way of being used.

Give it time, and careful practice. No gas is never impossible, it might just take incredibly small amounts of movement. I almost never add throttle to launch my truck on flat ground, but it's very easy to stall it if you're not careful when doing that. It doesn't just start to grab when it hits the friction point, it bites. Sounds similar to your clutch, except yours has a smaller engagement range.

Give it time, brother. Give it time.

Also, let me give you a point of perspective on stalling. Don't sweat it. It happens, even to the best of us. If you stall, start it back up, and don't worry. Don't even think about it, just restart the car. If anybody behind you has a problem with it, hell with 'em. They're not driving a stick shift car, now are they? There's such a thing as common courtesy, but it goes both ways. I don't want to hold anyone up, but if I stall my truck, ten seconds tops ain't gonna kill 'em. If they don't like it, tough. I really don't give a damn. Nobody should be that impatient.
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1999 Ram 2500 4x4 360, 1986 Ford LTD 3.8L, 1983 Yamaha Venture Royale 1200
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beowulf80
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Re: Introduction plus some questions.

Post by beowulf80 »

comingbackdown wrote:Ever tried left foot braking? I have. Nowadays, I have to have something for my left leg to do when driving an automatic, so I decided to give left foot braking a try. It took a few stops to get used to the INCREDIBLY touchy brakes on my mother's Impala, but I got used to it, and now I do that with every automatic I drive. Thing is, if you just try that out of nowhere, you're going to give yourself whiplash, because your left foot isn't trained for it. Clutch operation is different, but the same in the aspect that your left leg must learn a new way of being used.
Just be sure you don't accidentally "clutch in" while in an automatic. Been there, done that. :(
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AHTOXA
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Re: Introduction plus some questions.

Post by AHTOXA »

Yeah, I've phanthom clutched an automatic hitting the brake pedal. It was interesting.
'19 Toyota 4Runner TRD ORP
'12 Suzuki V-Strom 650
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gizmo
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Re: Introduction plus some questions.

Post by gizmo »

some of the best circle track drivers have done that during their earlier years.

circle track racing, which many knock without ever having tried it, involves driving a manual transmission car in one gear for the entire race. so on most short tracks, once the car's in gear, it stays there, and to be fast drivers must left foot brake. some don't, but they're losing a tenth by not, so the better one's probably do.

point: it's not uncommon to see a rook stomp on the brake pedal after the green drops because he thought he was upshifting with the clutch...
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comingbackdown
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Re: Introduction plus some questions.

Post by comingbackdown »

gizmo wrote:some of the best circle track drivers have done that during their earlier years.

circle track racing, which many knock without ever having tried it, involves driving a manual transmission car in one gear for the entire race. so on most short tracks, once the car's in gear, it stays there, and to be fast drivers must left foot brake. some don't, but they're losing a tenth by not, so the better one's probably do.

point: it's not uncommon to see a rook stomp on the brake pedal after the green drops because he thought he was upshifting with the clutch...
I dunno about the rest of NASCAR, but Mark Martin has used left foot braking for years.

Unfortunately, I know how it feels when you hit the phantom clutch and contact the brake pedal. Going 20 mph, just down the road from my driveway, in mom's Impala... Touchy-ass brakes... Mind said "upshift", foot hit the floor, face almost got introduced to the steering wheel... Yeah...
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1999 Ram 2500 4x4 360, 1986 Ford LTD 3.8L, 1983 Yamaha Venture Royale 1200
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