[kuku]

While going off campus with my 2 best friends, we got into an argument.I learned to drive stick one year before the two so I have my habits and they have theirs.

When I come up to a red light, I always go into neutral and clutch out. However, my two other friends ALWAYS have the clutch depressed. Even if the if it's going to be a 3 minute light, they will still have their clutch fully depressed and in 1st gear. Their reason is that it's faster without wasting time to go into gear. Also, my dad also has this habit. Another reason is that my friend says because it's fully depressed, it won't cause damage because the clutch disc is separate from the flywheel. But I think this is bad though.


So the question is, is it bad to depress the clutch for long periods of time?

[panda]

yes it can. can cause wear and tear onto the clutch line, whether hydraulic or cable. not to mention, it will also increase wear and tear onto the throwout bearing...

the time to get into gear is negligible. stop fighting with friends about 0.0X seconds of time on the street.

[boost]

i would always press on my clutch at a stop. It can be 1-3 minutes, itll still be pressed down. I guess its a habit of mine.

I just got a FX700 twin disc clutch installed and i think i wont be doing that anymore (Very stiff clutch)

[DaRkViEt73]

^ They can probably break boards on your left leg then... just like in them kung fu movies.

[azn akira]

its not good to hold the clutch in during stops

[ZiGeNX77]

I only hold it down if I think the light will turn green soon.

Sometimes I anticipate the green light and press down on the clutch if I think it will turn green.

[xpannn]

i don't leave the clutch down either, more out of habit than out of anything else.

[some-azn-guy]

i never hold the clutch down when i make a full stop.

[Orijinalx]

i dont have mine depressed, i also heard that it was bad for the clutch. But i keep it depressed knowing when a light is about to turn green, but dont wait 2-3 mins.

[ghost]

so you guys keep the clutch depressed even though its a 10 minute wait?

[wangta]

i guess this is my driving habit but i feel uncomfortable having the clutch depressed for more than 10 seconds

[SoupSandwich]

I often clutch out... I memorize the amount of play I have till the clutch starts to catch so when I anticpate the light, I often times have the clutch depressed just barely over the catch point.

I think what's even worse is all those people that like to "cradle" their cars...
Clutch on... Clutch off.... that seriously annoys me when I see a CRX or civi hB just rocking their car back and forth...

I mean.. I understand if your on a hill and are just too lazy to apply a hand brake.. but wtf..

Yes I see you drive a stick.. Yes I see you might roll back.

[ecaftermath]

never hold on to your clutch for more than 5 seconds =)

[kuku]

so you guys keep the clutch depressed even though its a 10 minute wait?

I've never seen a redlight stay red for 10 minutes.
But I have seen my friend keep his foot depressed on the clutch for 4 minutes straight.

[UoMDeacon]

Exactly like someone mentioned earlier; keeping your clutch in for an extended period of time causes more stress for your throw-out bearing. Though from a safety standpoint, you're supposed to downshift and keep it in first gear if you don't expect to be at the light for a long time, mostly so you can get out of the way if you are about to get hit or something.

Personally, I've always clutched out and put it into neutral, just because I'm lazy.