What's your technique while driving uphill ??

[hyper123]

This is surprising. I thought the 'paddling' technique was better and i used to ask my dad not to use the handbrake!

Isn't paddling a skill?? What are its advantages? (keeping in mind that your car has a functional handbrake but still you prefer to use paddling)

[nitrous]

I used to drive my jeep with drum brakes and no booster through an under-bridge.
At the end of the under-bridge, there is a traffic signal.So, during rush hours, I would be on an incline with cars/two-wheelers behind me .

My brakes were inefficient in stopping the vehicle from moving backwards. And this jeep doesn't have hand-brakes.

I would slip the clutch and brake at the sametime so that there's enough torque to try to move the jeep upwards and enuf brake input to stop it from moving.
Im always sweating and relieved when I cross this particular signal in my jeep.

[jack7]

Originally Posted by lambuhere1

What I follow is as follows

I change gears from higher to lower as soon as I see a upward slope, be on half clutch so that the vehicle cannot move back, release the brake and be kind on the throttle. That way I am able to move on upward slope,

I dont know if its right, but ...

Absolutely true, I agree with you 100%. If you can control your vehicle on half clutch its just great and it give you a very nice control of your vehicle.

[lambuhere1]

Originally Posted by mobike008

Suppose if i have stop at a traffic signal on an incline ( which is common out here in Hyd). I generally pull the handbrake and wait for the green signal. On green, I put the gear in first and leave the clutch and simuntaneously down the handbrake.

Using the above, the car moves forward with not an inch of back sliding

I faced serious issues with this technique with santro. On hand brake, when I press the clutch fully to engage the gear, somehow the hand brake gets disengaged and vehicle slides down . Thats why I prefer the half clutch method. Let me see if this works for other vehicles.

Good topic though

[ad75]

Originally Posted by lambuhere1

I faced serious issues with this technique with santro. On hand brake, when I press the clutch fully to engage the gear, somehow the hand brake gets disengaged and vehicle slides down . Thats why I prefer the half clutch method.

handbrake has got nothing to do with the clutch.your santro's handbrake is not dong its job.get the handbrake calbe tightened/adjusted.

[dadu]

Firstly you should be able to anticipate a slope and change to a lower gear as per your judgement that should pull through.

Secondly if you are climbing up on a slope with slow moving traffic, the half clutch works fine but if you have to stop/start constantly, I would suggest handbrake usage. No need to strain your clutch.

[gbpscars]

I'm so much used to quick coordinations between the clutch and brake (paddling as reffered to here) after using a Premier 118 NE whose engine used to behave crazy each day.

My brain had to learn the pedal pressure over again almost everyday!!

Sometimes managing that car in Peddar road upward traffic towards the city was hell.

Now,... it is a breeze with the OHC's FI and ECM control. But it will always be brake and clutch - never the half-clutch.

But I feel "Paddling" is the best as the response time is quick and does not irritate the driver behind you each time your car backs up on his face. (I somehow hate the L 'board'ies for this, but have to take them in a good spirit. hehe)

[lordofgondor]

Depends on how long do I need to stop on the slope. If it's for a second or two, I usually do padding, else it's the handbrake. And always take care not to over rev when starting to move after the stop!

[kapilsharma80]

Originally Posted by ad75

Can you elaborate or provide the link as to what you read in fiat's website?

IF the incline is too steep and/or theres too much load in your car its safer to use the hand brake else paddling/half clutch would do.

paddling/half clutch requires some practice though, to avoid stalling your car or rolling backwards.

here's the link
Fiat India - Encyclopedia

[bblost]

The advantage of using the hand brake IMO
1. Its a lot cheaper than the clutch.
2. If it breaks up, no prob getting home or to a workshop.
3. With a lil practise your speed in using it is close to using padding.
4. Its a lot easy on your left leg.
5. Handbrake when engaged is engaged (in a good car), unlike the half clutch where any movement you make can cause jerking, switching off etc.

[cheap_deal]

i dont use the handbrake, just like i dont use it when i park my car. the only use of the handbrake for me is to make really fast, tight u-turns.
if i have to stop halfway up a hill for a while, i put car in neutral and keep a foot on the brake. when its time to move put car in 1st gear, heel and toe with right leg that way when i ease off the brake im already pressing the accelerator.

[vnabhi]

I alternate between both techniques, depending on how often I must stop on the slope, and how steep it is. Nowadays, with Punjagutta road to B Hills closed due to flyover collapse, traffic is hectic between KCP Jn and Taj Krishna Jn, and this is one of the steepest inclines in Hyd, with bumper to bumper traffic.
I usually use the handbrake on this stretch.

[csentil]

It depends on the gradient, weight in the car and the traffic situation. With 5 people in the car, even a gentle gradient can be a problem. Padding is sometimes ineffective. Simple example for me is the forum car park, as you spiral up, if I'm alone or just two of us, padding is enough. If its 5 of us, I have to use the handbrake.

With the Civic AT, no issues. Just let her take care. However in some steep slopes the car will still go backwards.

[indianrunner]

Using the hand brake would IMHO be preferable especially in the modern vehicles unlike in the good old fiats and amby where the hand brake was kind off non existent.

[cutdcrap]

I would rather use the hand brake than do "padding" simply because with more passengers it would cause the engine to strain and you would have to rev really hard to pull it. Also, the amount of load the clutch would have to bear will be high, and may cause damage to it when used excessively.

Here is what I do: Apply the handbrake, then put the car in gear and rev a bit. When I feel a slight push indicating that the car would not slide backwards, I release the handbrake and carry on.

OT : I try and use the hand brake on my bike rather than revving it high on slopes as well.