Clutch

[Erki]

Hi to everybody. Hope the following question(problem) isn't too silly...

I'm currently taking driving lessons and the clutch/throttle game is quite a b1tch. I've had 4 driving lessons so far, and I have stalled 3 times in 3 last ones, just when I was supposed to leave a junction. No problem with taking off slowly, but when I have to do it fast then I tend to stall.

One irritating thing is that the point when clutch "bits" or whatever that term was, is high as hell(or heaven then ). The left foot has very little support from the floor (I have to move the foot quite much to lift the clutch and it's harder to find that point, sometimes my foot starts shaking too, maybe the muscles are too weak.

Nah, this thread isn't that much of racing then I ask if the clutches of the racecars have as much movement as road cars or less?

[dtype38]

Yeh, that is a little bit basic for this bit of the forum, but here's the situation: When you first try any new activity, say tennis, golf, shooting, etc., which need physical control, then at first it seems very difficult. The same is true of the clutch, brakes and accelerator on a car. It may seem difficult now, but with time and practice you will get used to it and it will become easier. After lots of practice a road car will seem really easy, then you try a racing car and it will seem very difficult. Racing car clutches tend to be a bit "on/off" and it takes even more time and practice to learn to control one properly.

So some practical help... All clutches are different and most can be adjusted for how high the "bite point" is on the pedal. Some are very forgiving, and some are quite harsh. When you are first learning it is easier if you can keep your heel on the floor all the way up to the "bite point" and have a forgiving clutch. If your instructors car isn't like this, then you may want to consider changing the car you learn in... you will progress much more quickly. If you're stuck with the one you have, then consider that the faster you want to "pull away" the more revs you need to give the engine when you let the clutch out. If you are in busy traffic then sometimes its necessary to pretty much "thrash" the engine so that it doesn't stall when you let out a difficult clutch. The possibility then is that you will "spin the wheels". This is not good driving and will be frowned on by the instructor, but at least it gets you moving rather than stalling and causing a traffic jam! Most important, though, is just practice, practice, practice.... preferably by yourself on a bit of deserted road. Hope this helps

[Ntrprise]

Kind of the same as a blind person learning to read Brail..... At first it feel impossible as your fingers can not distinguish anything different between words..... but the more you do it the more your brain learns to interpret it. The sensitivity and muscles in your fingers is there already..... your brain just has to learn how to deal with data that it has not received before.

Practice is the answer.

[Tim Falce]

If the clutch pedal is not in a comfortable position then you need it to be adjusted or get another car/instructor. Idealy it should bite where ever it is convenient for your foot, probably just below half travel.
If you are stalling the car, try more throttle (revs/gas or whatever you call it) and slightly slower off the clutch. You could ask to do some clutch control practice by giving it more throttle and as the clutch starts to bite, control the speed of the cars acceleration by slipping the clucth a bit (holding it at the bite point), as the car moves then dip the clutch to slow it down again. You can also let the revs go down a bit as the speed picks up. This is not very good for the clutch but it is a very good way to learn clutch control and an excellent way to learn hill starts.

[greenamex2]

Erki - I can sympathise with you as I have a problem with a lot of cars with high bite points on their clutches (usually Vauxhalls).

Once you stop worrying about the 200 other things you have to worry about when learning to drive you'll get used to it. And when you get your own car you can adjust it to suit.

In answer to the actual question, my race has less than half the movement of it's road going equivelent. Most will be similar unless they are still very road going.

Trying to drive on the road would be a nightmare due to it's stiffness and lack of progression.

[Al Weyman]

On the black Camaro in my Avatar I have a lightweight aluminuim flywheel with a two plate McCloud paddle race clutch, now that thing is virtually impossible to drive in traffic or even around the paddock and you just have to chuck loads of revs at it and let it go leaving a nice layer of rubber off the grid. Its either in or its out as they say!

[Erki]

Yeah, I'll get another car/instructor next week or so anyway. And one thing how to console myself is that even some mega babes can drive.