Miata Mailing List: June 1997, Message #16
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From: 	"John Freas" <jfreas@gte.net>

Subject: Re: "riding the clutch"

Date: 	Sun, 1 Jun 1997 11:51:19 -0500



Previously on riding the clutch, richard sorrentino

<sorrentino@SSCL.UWO.CA> said...

 

> I am told that driving schools now tell their students

> that "riding the clutch" occurs when you have the clutch pedal

> down while idling, and therefore you should keep the car in neutral

> to avoid this. Is this correct? I always thought riding the clutch

> was when the clutch pedal was needlessly down while the car is

> in motion. Please advise.



My understanding is that the term refers to resting your foot on the clutch

pedal while driving.  Same scenario as riding the brakes in an automatic,

except that unless you are really slipping the clutch, or using it instead

of brakes on an incline, there probably isn't as much wear involved as with

the brake version.



Not being a big student of clutch mechanics I can't really say if riding it

ala the brakes is hard on it, but I figure that applying pressure to the

mechanism that disengages the clutch might be exposing the system to some

strain.  The net.wisdom is that whatever it is called, holding the clutch

pedal in while stopped is harder on it than letting it idle out of gear

with the clutch engaged.



FWIW.



	-John



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John Freas (jfreas@gte.net)

Red '90 Base #7690

Deer Park, Long Island

Team Roebuck

Team Voodoo

Team "I have no idea what those dimple things on the windshield frame are

for."

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