UserNameHAHA

is riding the clutch bad for the clutch or not? For example if u are going down the hill and push in the clutch to get a faster roll or something

SSDriver

iTrader: (2)

As long as the clutch is fully disenguaged I don't see how it would hurt it. Although when you release the clutch pedal in a lower gear and the car is now moving faster that probably isn't the best for the cluth One other thing to think about is that since your holding the clutch in your holding consistant pressure on the pressure plate the entire time your rolling down that hill. What wears out clutchs really fast is resting your foot on the pedal while your driving which can sometimes cause the clutch to slip/heat up/wear for extended periods of time.

calhoon

iTrader: (6)

As above, it won't wear the clutch extra if you have it disengaged. It will, however place more duty on your pressure plate fingers and throw out bearing. Is it a reason not to do this? I don't think so. Dis engaging the clutch in such instances is what will squeeze more mileage out of your car . I do this - alot.

UserNameHAHA

well i heard it was bad for the clutch or something and didnt know if it was true

exit

iTrader: (1)

Yes i've heard this before. But its totally inaccurate.... the only time you really burn your clutch out a little is when you Dump/pop the clutch at a high rpm..... but what burns the clutch out the fastest is down shifting without reving it first...... as well as feathering the clutch (at higher RPMS)....

NHRATA01

iTrader: (10)

Does it squeeze out more mileage? I thought I remembered reading if you leave the car in gear during decline and get off the throttle, the computer stops pulsing the injectors and the engine is just running off the car's momentum? Whereas if you coast down in neutral, fuel is still required to maintain idle.

EchoMirage

iTrader: (3)

I don't see a point of hitting the clutch to get a faster roll downhill at all.......why do that? If you want to go faster, hit the gas, it's what it's there for. If you're worried about clutch wear, or want to completely coast, for whatever reason, shift into neutral and get off the clutch completely.

Will Baty

Every Clutch manufacture will tell you that every time you push the clutch pedal in you are wearing something. In your case pushing the pedal in while coasting will cause premature wear on the Throw-out bearing, Pilot bearing and wear on the diaphragm fingers. It will also put stress on the Hydraulic's and Thrust bearing while you are holding the clutch pedal to the floor. It is never a good idea regardless of what clutch you use to hold the pedal in while at a stop light or just coasting.
The clutch wears everytime you push the pedal in period. The amount that is worn depends on how you are using it. Typically a dead stop take off is were you will see the most amount of wear under normal driving conditions. Heat has always been the number one killer of clutches when you take off or ride the clutch you are generating heat. I could go on and on about this and I would say that most of the other clutch manufacture would agree.

Thanks,
Will Baty
Centerforce Clutches

Ferocity02

iTrader: (60)

If you push in the clutch, and LEAVE it pushed it, the only thing this is hurting is the throwout bearing, which has all of the pressure from the pressure plate on it when the clutch it pushed in. Naturally, this will shorten the life of the throwout bearing. It's not something to worry about unless you are constantly doing this. If you want to go faster down a hill, put the car in neutral or go into a higher gear. I always leave my car in gear unless I'm at a stop, in which case it is in neutral with the clutch out. I know some people who push in the clutch everytime they brake which doesn't make much sense to me. This is hurting the TO bearing and you lose the friction of the engine to help slow you down.

02TransAm/Batmobile

iTrader: (32)

so, i can't hold in the clutch and put it in first gear and wait for the green light no more? i gotta wait for the green, disengage the clutch and re-engage it? does that really hurt the clutch waitin for the green????

sgarnett

iTrader: (1)

No, it's as Will said. If the clutch is depressed, then the crankshaft is usually spinning at a different RPM than the input shaft. That means pilot bearing wear too.

Ferocity02

iTrader: (60)

It is much more natural for a bearing to have a shaft spinning on the inside of it, thats what a bearing is for. The TO bearing has HUGE amounts of pressure on it from the side which will cause it to wear much faster than the pilot bearing. TO bearing failures are way more common than pilot bearing failures.

I wouldn't reccomend it. I always anticipate lights and get the car in gear before the light turns green.

warpwr

You should go to neutral foot off the clutch at stop lights and that would work for rolling down hill too. Saves your throwout bearing. The TO bearing is a high rotational resistant bearing that helps slow down the gears in the tranny and aids the synchro drums when you push in the clutch. A worn bearing can cause gear mesh problems.
Riding the clutch is when you cruise along resting your foot on the clutch pedal.

Listen to Will Baty
Signed,
A CenterForce Clutch user.

sgarnett

iTrader: (1)

The TO bearing has no direct effect on the spinning input shaft and gears. Any rotational drag from it acts only on the crankshaft/flywheel/pressure plate assembly (assuming the clutch is disengaging properly).

warpwr

Thinking about it, of course you are correct.
There are some dynamics in effect during the depressing and releasing phases though. I'm not sure what those would be. I had heard years ago that a worn out T/O bearing can cause the gears to grind during speed shifts.
Good catch. My bad.
I will still leave the clutch out at stop lights though.