Driving without a clutch

Maccapacca

Maccapacca

Maccapacca

Tea Drinker
Don
Joined
13 Apr 2010
Posts
18,472
Location
Sunny Sussex
I was shown and learned how to drive without a clutch at a young age, the theory behind it was I could always get home if the clutch fails, it now forms part of my daily drive, just slip it in the next gear smoothly no need for the clutch, does anyone else do this, can you drive without?

For those who don't know you can start a car in 1st or 2nd on the flat with no throttle, then build up speed, when it's time to change gear come off the revs with slight pressure on the gear and it will pop out, and as the revs are dropping it should pop into the next gear down, the idea is to match the engine revs with gearbox and it will pop in with no grinding.

Down is a little different you have to again back off pop out then raise the revs, I rev high then let them drop down and the box will pop in when matched.

I think it promotes forward planning similar to driving with no brakes, a few mates and the wife have had me drive their car home when the clutch has gone.

Yes auto drivers well done ;)
 
Up changes are easy in most cars, the down changes are where talent is required. It is all about feel but there is little point to it. I do it when I'm being lazy.
 
my dad sometimes does, from his days in the police when his mini's clutch blew and he couldn't afford to fix it, so didn't.

only had this convo with my mate earlier today too. Fun times
 
I used to do it nearly all the time in my old MK4 Escort and was forced to do it twice more when my clutch cable snapped in my Calibra and then later when I lost hydrualics for my clutch on my Corrado.
 
My wifes Zafira just slips in every time, my Mazda needs a little more thinking about, my old Prelude just put a sad face on the dash when I tried
 
haha i have done this in my ageing 97 clio, upshifting is easier than downshifting as you have to pop the accelerator just enough for the gear to change..

I swear for example it helps at certain speeds, for example if im doing 30 in third then slip straight into 4th its literally no effort what so ever and can change within a second.

And surprisingly for my car it can also pull away in 2nd without any throttle, and as you say, most cars will pull away in 1st with no throttle , especially usef.ull in traffic or snow as mininum power is put onto the wheels minimising wheelspin
 
I can do this, but prefer not as I always thought it must be doing some sort of damage. Not tried it in the Bravo but did it with my first car and always have a go when driving a new car for the first time.
 
Peerzy said:
I can do this, but prefer not as I always thought it must be doing some sort of damage
Click to expand...

It does, unless you get it absolutely perfect, but if you were to become stuck in the middle of nowhere due to a dead clutch it means you don't have to push the car!
 
Do it all the time on the bike, makes changing up when accelerating a dream, a lot quicker too, just not between 1st and 2nd ;)
Down is where the art is but i generally use the clutch for that unless in slowing traffic, you need to be able to ride it on the clutch rather than it going straight in.

Done it a bit in the car but it seems pointless, there's nothing to gain from it really.
 
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