Kiss my Transmission Goodbye ?? (Teaching Wife to Drive A Stick)

[Cheveey57]

Originally Posted by Mutant Racer

Slipping the clutch? Some people call it feathering the clutch but when your car is on an incline you partially engage the clutch while just barely pressing on the gas pedal to stay stationary and then slowly move forward. It allows for a smooth start on that incline without rolling backwards.

Some people, especially beginners learning to drive stick, will stall alot on hills and they have a tendency to over rev the engine on an incline because they are afraid of rolling backwards and tapping the car behind them. Learning to "slip the clutch" or "feather the clutch" makes driving on hills (or small incline's) much easier.


EDIT: Slipping the clutch allows you to sit and start moving on a hill without having to use your brakes.

OR you can cheat and use the e brake until you feel the car in that zone, then release it. Either way works fine.

[eb_SS]

It was mentioned prior, but worth repeating.

"The method that has been most successful here at Standardshift has been the no-gas method. Not using the gas pedal at all while engaging the clutch in first gear seems to help people clue in more quickly to the friction point of the clutch, the all important point in which most of the engine power goes from idling freely to transferring through the transmission and then to the wheels. This varies from car to car. The friction point can be felt with the car starts moving, and engine RPMs drop usually along with the noise of the engine. This is also the point that many beginners let the clutch out too quickly, resulting in the engine lugging and the car bucking. Don't worry, at such a slow speed, no serious damage will occur to the car, just a nick to your pride."

http://www.standardshift.com/faq.html

[Mutant Racer]

Originally Posted by Cheveey57

OR you can cheat and use the e brake until you feel the car in that zone, then release it. Either way works fine.

Why would you need to? Are you talking about having someone do that when they are first learning to drive stick to apply the e-brake on a hill until they are comfortable? Sort of a hill assist thing to get them moving?

I only ask because I'm curious.

[SSFury]

Originally Posted by Bodih

Let us know when training begins. We can bring down the whole Tucson Camaro Club as a cheering section (and film crew!).

To show what kind of husband I am, and that I fully support my wife in her desire to learn to drive my car, I made some "Pedals" for her. They are the same approximate size/shape of the real deal, put them on a blanket, something that wold "Push back" on the pedal after release, everything. It was a great set-up. I put some real thought into teaching as thoroughly as possible without her being worried about damaging the car.

We could discuss everything, explain it all.. and she could have some practice in positioning her feet, working pedals speratly.. all of it.

But I had to share this because: When I had her first sit down, I asked her.. "What pedal is what?" Simple enough question right? You want to learn how to drive it, you should at least know what they ARE...

She didnt know the name was "The Clutch".. she just knew it was the "Shifter Pedal." Okay.. I'll give her that, I'm understanding. Then I turned my attention to the "Normal pedals." "Which one is which?" I asked..

"This ones the gas." She pointed to the brake.

I said, "Okay, lets make this easier.. in YOUR CAR, which one of these is the Gas?"

She once again pointed to the brake.

We haven't made it to the real car yet. Over Thanksgiving weekend we'll probably find time.

You might want to call the club Bodih.. but not as spectators, but to warn them to stay the heck out of the parking lots when this transpires!! lol.

I think if spectators just happened to "Show up".. she would probably break into tears, and not speak to me the rest of the night. lolol. I love her to death... but i didn't marry her for her driving skills...

[Rage]

Teach her the easy way..... use launch control!

[metthem]

Put her in the car already. go pro on her and a go pro on the road

[Bodih]

Originally Posted by SSFury

...I love her to death... but i didn't marry her for her driving skills...

Looking at your signature, I think we understand...

We're here to support every Camaro driver, newbies included!!!

[menendez1293]

Originally Posted by Mutant Racer

Why would you need to? Are you talking about having someone do that when they are first learning to drive stick to apply the e-brake on a hill until they are comfortable? Sort of a hill assist thing to get them moving?

I only ask because I'm curious.

Yes it's like a hill assist. I still find my self doing it for saftey reasons and to not ride or feather the clutch. You simply push the clutch while holding the break put the car in first and pull up the ebrake while holding the button so it doesn't lock then you let go of the break pedal and launch as normal.

I will rarely do it as I have gotten very accustomed to just switching between break and gas rather quickly without riding or feathering the clutch much. I only use it while there Is a car right on top of me on a pretty steep incline. I had to use this technique a lot when I was learning though. I can not do the heal toe to save my life.

[BeachBum]

Originally Posted by SlingShot

Three things to remember ...

#1 - There is no such thing as a bad student

#2 - It's just a car

#3 - The couch can be a lonely place

SlingShot - You Speak Like A Man With Personal Experience

[Mutant Racer]

Originally Posted by menendez1293

Yes it's like a hill assist. I still find my self doing it for saftey reasons and to not ride or feather the clutch. You simply push the clutch while holding the break put the car in first and pull up the ebrake while holding the button so it doesn't lock then you let go of the break pedal and launch as normal.

I will rarely do it as I have gotten very accustomed to just switching between break and gas rather quickly without riding or feathering the clutch much. I only use it while there Is a car right on top of me on a pretty steep incline. I had to use this technique a lot when I was learning though. I can not do the heal toe to save my life.

I forget you all have it worse than I do with hills. Not alot of rolling roads in Illinois.

I'd imagine it would be a shock to my system running through some of the places you folks have to drive.