Bad Driving Habits (M/T)

Z_Girl · 02-23-2012, 04:54 PM

Originally Posted by kenchan
Keep it in neutral until you know the light will change. Holding down clutch wears the throwout bearing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Armonster

file this one under "taking it too far"

Nah, I gotta agree with kenchan, I always keep it in neutral at lights. Who wants to have to hold the clutch in the whole time anyways?

kenchan · 02-23-2012, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Z_Girl

Nah, I gotta agree with kenchan, I always keep it in neutral at lights. Who wants to have to hold the clutch in the whole time anyways?

hey z_girl!

PapoZalsa · 05-13-2011, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenchan

Keep it in neutral until you know the light will change. Holding down clutch wears the throwout bearing.

Holding down clutch is a bad habit of many people on M/T when stop, or coming to a stop with the brake and cluth pedal down at the same time.

Also keeping your foot on top of the clutch pedal while you drive.

TheGreatOne · 05-13-2011, 08:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PapoZalsa

Holding down clutch is a bad habit of many people on M/T when stop, or coming to a stop with the brake and cluth pedal down at the same time.

Also keeping your foot on top of the clutch pedal while you drive.

I'm guilty of the above, often I find myself doing this more so when in small neighbourhoods and might be shifting between 2nd and having to come to a stop quickly....its like i hate the brake or something lol

Drex · 05-13-2011, 09:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenchan

Keep it in neutral until you know the light will change. Holding down clutch wears the throwout bearing.

learned this the hard way on my previous car. laziness is expensive!

Gauge · 02-23-2012, 11:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenchan

Keep it in neutral until you know the light will change. Holding down clutch wears the throwout bearing.

Really? So to clarify you should go to nuetral, brake(obviously) then take foot off clutch and put it back on when you go to move (after green)?

I really didn't know this was dangerous to cars... I've went nuetral and held clutch in with brake for years and years lol.

Mt Tam I am · 02-23-2012, 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gauge

Really? So to clarify you should go to nuetral, brake(obviously) then take foot off clutch and put it back on when you go to move (after green)?

I really didn't know this was dangerous to cars... I've went nuetral and held clutch in with brake for years and years lol.

Dangerous is a bit overstated but Ken is correct. When the clutch is depressed it is now wearing, but do not go nuts about this fact or you will not enjoy the car. It is not like doing a burn out while riding the clutch.

Besides if the car is in neautral, why hold in the clutch?

Drex · 02-23-2012, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gauge

Really? So to clarify you should go to nuetral, brake(obviously) then take foot off clutch and put it back on when you go to move (after green)?

I really didn't know this was dangerous to cars... I've went nuetral and held clutch in with brake for years and years lol.

yep, i had to pay ~$1500 for a new clutch on my rsx at 55k miles because the throwout bearing went due to this behavior. learned the hard way

EazyD · 05-13-2011, 09:40 PM

370Z was my first M/T I owned also. Worst habit I learned to break: don't freak out if someone is behind you and you think you're going to roll back and hit them. They're farther away than you think. Maybe as you get used to the friction point and how much gas to apply, you can learn to do a hillstart in the meantime.

--Come to a stop. set the handbrake, go in neutral, relax...you can take your foot off the brake and the handbrake will hold you.
--Light turns green, put it in 1st, start to give gas + slip clutch. When the car feels like it wants to move forward, let the handbrake off and go. No rolling back.

So...what I'm trying to say is don't freak out (you're going to) it will just make you burn the clutch with your reactions hehe. Try not to look in the rearview when you're at a red light.

Z_ealot · 05-13-2011, 09:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EazyD

370Z was my first M/T I owned also. Worst habit I learned to break: don't freak out if someone is behind you and you think you're going to roll back and hit them. They're farther away than you think. Maybe as you get used to the friction point and how much gas to apply, you can learn to do a hillstart in the meantime.

--Come to a stop. set the handbrake, go in neutral, relax...you can take your foot off the brake and the handbrake will hold you.
--Light turns green, put it in 1st, start to give gas + slip clutch. When the car feels like it wants to move forward, let the handbrake off and go. No rolling back.

So...what I'm trying to say is don't freak out (you're going to) it will just make you burn the clutch with your reactions hehe. Try not to look in the rearview when you're at a red light.

Good info D, also just wanted to make note that something i noticed when test driving a Z back in October, the clutch tends to engage a little on the high side when letting go of the pedal so might want to keep that in mind when driving the MT Z...of course this is from someone who is used to the clutch on an older 96 civic so your experiences may differ lol

EazyD · 05-13-2011, 09:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Z_ealot

Good info D, also just wanted to make note that something i noticed when test driving a Z back in October, the clutch tends to engage a little on the high side when letting go of the pedal so might want to keep that in mind when driving the MT Z...of course this is from someone who is used to the clutch on an older 96 civic so your experiences may differ lol

Find a comfortable spot on the floor to plant your clutch foot's heel. I think I started off hovering my foot because I wasn't used to how strong it was pushing back - but that made me do crazy things when the car mvoed forward and my foot came off the clutch fast.

Also make sure the clutch is ALL the way in before you shift.

Z_ealot · 05-13-2011, 10:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EazyD

Find a comfortable spot on the floor to plant your clutch foot's heel. I think I started off hovering my foot because I wasn't used to how strong it was pushing back - but that made me do crazy things when the car mvoed forward and my foot came off the clutch fast.

Also make sure the clutch is ALL the way in before you shift.

Now that is funny as heck cause i kept mentioning to the sales guy i was riding with that i wasnt used to how much the clutch was pushing my foot back, i never let my foot slip but i did stall the car once just before taking off at a red light, but other than that at highway speeds the Z's clutch felt amazing!

TheGreatOne · 05-15-2011, 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EazyD

370Z was my first M/T I owned also. Worst habit I learned to break: don't freak out if someone is behind you and you think you're going to roll back and hit them. They're farther away than you think. Maybe as you get used to the friction point and how much gas to apply, you can learn to do a hillstart in the meantime.

--Come to a stop. set the handbrake, go in neutral, relax...you can take your foot off the brake and the handbrake will hold you.
--Light turns green, put it in 1st, start to give gas + slip clutch. When the car feels like it wants to move forward, let the handbrake off and go. No rolling back.

So...what I'm trying to say is don't freak out (you're going to) it will just make you burn the clutch with your reactions hehe. Try not to look in the rearview when you're at a red light.

Good tip, I think I still have anxiety on really steep hills...even though I've been driving stick for 4 yrs or so. I should really just take my Z out one of these late nights and practice that....

djpathfinder · 05-13-2011, 09:55 PM

Another bad habit is keeping your hand on the shifter when not shifting, thus holding the steering wheel with one hand. Keeping both hands on the steering wheel (3:00 and 9:00) ensures it won't slip out of your hand and you're ready to make an emergency move should the need arises.

christian370z · 05-13-2011, 09:58 PM

The Z is my first car with a manual transmission and even though I had driven MTs before, the Z is not the easiest car to start out with due to the high clutch engagement and pretty short window from where it starts grabbing to full engagement. The biggest factor in perfecting your shifting is just to keep driving, granted you need to follow the basics that others have mentioned.

05-13-2011, 09:40 PM	#9 (permalink)
EazyD A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Massachusetts, USA Posts: 1,211 Drives: 2010 6MT Sport pkg. Rep Power: 26	370Z was my first M/T I owned also. Worst habit I learned to break: don't freak out if someone is behind you and you think you're going to roll back and hit them. They're farther away than you think. Maybe as you get used to the friction point and how much gas to apply, you can learn to do a hillstart in the meantime. --Come to a stop. set the handbrake, go in neutral, relax...you can take your foot off the brake and the handbrake will hold you. --Light turns green, put it in 1st, start to give gas + slip clutch. When the car feels like it wants to move forward, let the handbrake off and go. No rolling back. So...what I'm trying to say is don't freak out (you're going to) it will just make you burn the clutch with your reactions hehe. Try not to look in the rearview when you're at a red light. __________________ Pearl White 2010 370Z Sport, Stillen CBE, tint, K&N drop-in filters, GT-R start button, Kenwood DNX-6980 with backup cam, LED bulbs, Raceseng shift knob.

05-13-2011, 09:55 PM	#14 (permalink)
djpathfinder A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Edmonton, Canada Posts: 12,910 Drives: 2012 GT-R BE Rep Power: 734	Another bad habit is keeping your hand on the shifter when not shifting, thus holding the steering wheel with one hand. Keeping both hands on the steering wheel (3:00 and 9:00) ensures it won't slip out of your hand and you're ready to make an emergency move should the need arises. __________________ 2012 GT-R Black Edition Jet Black 2010 370Z 40th Anniversary // SOLD

05-13-2011, 09:58 PM	#15 (permalink)
christian370z A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Newport Beach Posts: 3,900 Drives: 2010 370Z/Saab 900se Rep Power: 433	The Z is my first car with a manual transmission and even though I had driven MTs before, the Z is not the easiest car to start out with due to the high clutch engagement and pretty short window from where it starts grabbing to full engagement. The biggest factor in perfecting your shifting is just to keep driving, granted you need to follow the basics that others have mentioned. __________________ -320whp / 259wftlbs- SP Rays -- RE-11s -- SpecialtyZ Tune -- Swift Springs -- Stillen 25R Oil Cooler -- Stillen G3 Intakes -- Berk HFCs -- F.I. 12" CBE -- Stillen Sway Bars -- Es14 Spring -- INGS+1 lip -- CF Spoiler -- GTR Start Button -- VLED Parking Lights -- PWJDM V2 shift knob

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