[jinojohnt]

Theoretically, it's better to use the hand-brake for starting from an up-slope.
If you use the (foot)brake and clutch simultaneously, you would be trying to move the car with the brakes on, at least for a milli second. This is because the foot brake locks all 4 wheels.

On the other hand, the hand brake locks only the rear wheels, and the front wheels are free to move (for front wheel drive cars). Considering the play of the rear shock absorbers, the front wheels can move forward slightly even when the rear wheels are locked. This gives you enough time to release the hand brake before damaging the clutch.

[akshay4587]

I had been to Shoja\Jalori Pass this weekend,and it has one of the steepest climbs in India,the road is narrow,and a dirt track with lots of stones,you need to use only 1st gear for 10-12kms
At times,we came across,a Bus coming from opposite direction,and i had to reverse downhill(The hills driving rule is vice-versa),and with people and lugagge,it was a task.
I used the handbrake,but the lag between releasing of handbrake and clutch was too much for that gradient,and vehicle used to roll down few meters(it was scary,as there was a deep gorge on the other side),and i had to rev it,before it started climing again.
I was driving a 4X2 Scorpio M-hawk.

[shankar.balan]

This is a big irritant in these CRDe Scorpio engines. The turbo lag that one encounters while downshifting and taking curves while going uphill can be a pain. the older chain drive Scorpios used to not have this problem quite so much - in fact I ve written elsewhere on the forum that it was much more fun driving the old chain drive Scorp up the Sigur ghats in the Nilgiris than it is to drive the Crde Scorp up the same hills. It is better to have enough momentum while approaching a curve, else one may suffer when one takes it.
But you're right. If a situation happens like what you've described, then the only answer is to get to first gear, follow the heel and toe method in accelerating/ releasing the clutch, while simultaneously releasing the handbrake and revving up the engine to close out the Turbo lag. No other method suggests itself. But I am 100% with you - it is a scary experience when the vehicle starts rolling back on such steep gradients.
I wonder why that bus didnt pause to let uphill traffic take precedence.

Originally Posted by akshay4587

I had been to Shoja\Jalori Pass this weekend,and it has one of the steepest climbs in India,the road is narrow,and a dirt track with lots of stones,you need to use only 1st gear for 10-12kms
At times,we came across,a Bus coming from opposite direction,and i had to reverse downhill(The hills driving rule is vice-versa),and with people and lugagge,it was a task.
I used the handbrake,but the lag between releasing of handbrake and clutch was too much for that gradient,and vehicle used to roll down few meters(it was scary,as there was a deep gorge on the other side),and i had to rev it,before it started climing again.
I was driving a 4X2 Scorpio M-hawk.

[ankan.m.blr]

T-BHPians, please give me your suggestions. Last Saturday was my first trip to a hilly area. I went to Nandi Hills where I faced 5-6 hair pin bends. I was driving a Ritz Zxi and there were 4 adults in the car. I switched off AC/fan before the uphill climb. Still the car was not pulling at all in 2nd gear. I switched to first gear. Still the car was not pulling and it got stalled twice. A Ritz Zxi with 4 persons - is this too much load for a hilly road. In Nandi hills parking lot, I saw an Alto & Wagon r; this left me wondering either something is wrong with my car or with my driving technique. I suspect the second.

[pganapathy]

Originally Posted by ankan.m.blr

T-BHPians, please give me your suggestions. Last Saturday was my first trip to a hilly area. I went to Nandi Hills where I faced 5-6 hair pin bends. I was driving a Ritz Zxi and there were 4 adults in the car. I switched off AC/fan before the uphill climb. Still the car was not pulling at all in 2nd gear. I switched to first gear. Still the car was not pulling and it got stalled twice. A Ritz Zxi with 4 persons - is this too much load for a hilly road. In Nandi hills parking lot, I saw an Alto & Wagon r; this left me wondering either something is wrong with my car or with my driving technique. I suspect the second.

4 people is not too much load for a Ritz, unless the 4 people weigh like 250 kg each

I have climbed up the Ooty hill (36 hairpin bends) in a fully loaded Omni so unless your vehicle has a problem, I guess it has to come down to your driving. I do not want to criticise without knowing what you did so will just give you some basic tips.

Down shift before you come to the hairpin bend. Do not down shift in the middle of the bend (it becomes very hard to pick up any speed then)

Always try and keep your car in the sweet spot of its rev range. Don't drive at 1,500 rpm for example. Am guessing the Ritz would be around 2,500 - 3,000 rpm onwards. That gives you maximum torque.

Try not to get off the accelerator half way through the bend. It makes it very difficult to pick up speed again, similar to downshifting half way through the bend.

[vikram_d]

My technique for taking hair pin uphill bends is to downshift before the turn as mentioned by pganapathy and then to accelerate gently through the turn.

[mgh]

Originally Posted by 1100D

However a very effective method, employs a brick, to be attached to the rear of the front wheel (so that when the car moves forward you can pick up the brick from underneath the open drivers door). The brick can also come in handy at various other situations.

My uncle used a similar technique in a slightly different way His son would be sitting next to the co-passenger door. Every time the car stopped (on the ghat), his son disembarked with a wooden block to put under the left side front wheel. Once the car started moving again, he would pick up the wooden block and get back inside. They seem to have practised the whole thing. The speed with which the whole exercise was completed was unbelievable.

Diesel cars have much less problems. Had been to Ooty twice on my earlier.naturally aspirated 2000 Indica DLX. Even though I had never driven in ghats earlier, I faced no problems.

In malls, and coming out of basement parking, have seen some 'pro' drivers from a driver by the hour agency, have problems, both with the above car and the current DLX turbo. I have not faced problems.
I don't use the handbrake. If I am stopped, I press both the brake pedal and clutch pedal fully. My right heel is between the accelerator pedal and the brake pedal. When I have to start, I let tthe guy ahead of me move a little ahead ( to be sure that he is not rolling back) Then I release the clutch a bit, swivel my right foot on my heel, press the accelerator to get the revs a bit higher than idling, and release the clutch a little quicker than usual. The car jerks forward a little, but does not roll back or stall. I adjust accelerator to speed I want and go off. And, I stay in first gear till I am off the ramp.

One other small trick. If the slope is a bit heavy, stop pointed slightly to the left or right, whichever is safe. Your car sees a little less steep slope, making your job easier.

[motomaverick]

Originally Posted by mgh

My uncle used a similar technique in a slightly different way His son would be sitting next to the co-passenger door. Every time the car stopped (on the ghat), his son disembarked with a wooden block to put under the left side front wheel. Once the car started moving again, he would pick up the wooden block and get back inside. They seem to have practised the whole thing. The speed with which the whole exercise was completed was unbelievable.

Diesel cars have much less problems. Had been to Ooty twice on my earlier.naturally aspirated 2000 Indica DLX. Even though I had never driven in ghats earlier, I faced no problems.

In malls, and coming out of basement parking, have seen some 'pro' drivers from a driver by the hour agency, have problems, both with the above car and the current DLX turbo. I have not faced problems.
I don't use the handbrake. If I am stopped, I press both the brake pedal and clutch pedal fully. My right heel is between the accelerator pedal and the brake pedal. When I have to start, I let tthe guy ahead of me move a little ahead ( to be sure that he is not rolling back) Then I release the clutch a bit, swivel my right foot on my heel, press the accelerator to get the revs a bit higher than idling, and release the clutch a little quicker than usual. The car jerks forward a little, but does not roll back or stall. I adjust accelerator to speed I want and go off. And, I stay in first gear till I am off the ramp.

One other small trick. If the slope is a bit heavy, stop pointed slightly to the left or right, whichever is safe. Your car sees a little less steep slope, making your job easier.

Good Pointers there mgh, i still remember getting stuck in Oasis mall ramp on the 2nd day of learning to drive, everything on the dash was falling on us

I also dont use the handbrake but the paddle technique though sometimes it stalls but ultimate it works, the lag between hand & leg coordination i could not never work out.

In modern diesels like the Manza its quite easy as you can just release the clutch slowly and the car moves forward enough for you to have the time to press the accelerator without rolling back.

[Aroy]

For starting I use the hand brake, then slot to first gear and while releasing the clutch slowly release the hand brake. Works every time.

For going up the hill, till I hit 60+, I use one gear lower than required in plains, works every time as you are always in the torque band and can effectively control both the acceleration and deceleration with the accelerator pedal.

I have yet to come across a vehicle that cannot start or go up a hill in first gear, even extremely steep trails, as long as traction is there. Most of the smaller cars will merrily go up pretty steep hills in the 20-30 speed range, in second with 4+ passengers. In case the car cannot, the engine needs checking. The steepest I have gone up was in an M800 on the original Amber Fort approach climb (this was some thing like 1:1 slope, designed to prevent enemy racing up to the fort gate) and that was the only time I needed first to climb.

[rohan_iitr]

Originally Posted by ankan.m.blr

T-BHPians, please give me your suggestions. Last Saturday was my first trip to a hilly area. I went to Nandi Hills where I faced 5-6 hair pin bends. I was driving a Ritz Zxi and there were 4 adults in the car. I switched off AC/fan before the uphill climb. Still the car was not pulling at all in 2nd gear. I switched to first gear. Still the car was not pulling and it got stalled twice. A Ritz Zxi with 4 persons - is this too much load for a hilly road. In Nandi hills parking lot, I saw an Alto & Wagon r; this left me wondering either something is wrong with my car or with my driving technique. I suspect the second.

I have seen Tata Nano's climbing Nandi hills without any problem.

If Ritz was having problems on Nandi hills, any of the following could be the culprit:
1. Hand brake engaged
2. Wrong gear selection
3. Low rpm
4. Loss of momentum if coming to a complete stop

Rohan

[ra'ul M]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

I wonder why that bus didnt pause to let uphill traffic take precedence.

Pausing does not work all the time, especially if you miss a wide spot. Reversing is sometimes the only option and 99% of the time is carried by the smaller vehicle [in this case the Scorpio] irrespective of the direction on the slope.

[justin.das]

Originally Posted by kapilsharma80

While driving in hills or for that matter a slope and you had to apply brakes and then pick up from the first gear, how do you do it?

This is my technique :-Full brake >engage first gear > use "half clutch" to stop the car from rolling backwards> take foot off the brake and accelerate.This method have its downsides too.now i am not able to drive petrol cars because they lack low end torque.Using the same technique in petrol car will result in engine stall,have to use clutch+accelerate method to keep it moving in slopes this method will cause serious damage to clutch.

[honeybee]

Originally Posted by justin.das

This is my technique :-Full brake >engage first gear > use "half clutch" to stop the car from rolling backwards> take foot off the brake and accelerate.This method have its downsides too.now i am not able to drive petrol cars because they lack low end torque.Using the same technique in petrol car will result in engine stall,have to use clutch+accelerate method to keep it moving in slopes this method will cause serious damage to clutch.

I have managed to use this technique for the better part of the last ten years on petrol cars. Yes, I did manage to stall the car once in a while, but I don't think that's because it's a petrol car. And that includes some very steep slopes en route to Matheran where there are boards instructing you to shift to the first gear!

The half clutch technique does stress the clutch, but I have yet to fry one because of this technique.

[justin.das]

Originally Posted by honeybee

I have managed to use this technique for the better part of the last ten years on petrol cars. Yes, I did manage to stall the car once in a while, but I don't think that's because it's a petrol car
The half clutch technique does stress the clutch, but I have yet to fry one because of this technique.

May be because of my driving habits i am not used to petrol engines, am driving diesel cars from the very beginning.In my personal experience i face difficulty to use half clutch technique in entry level petrol cars especially hyundai i10 and alto. C segment and D segment cars are fine no problem at all

[ssh1979]

I don't think there is a disadvantage in either case; it's purely a matter of what suits one best. I've used both techniques and never seemed to master either one of them.

So, to take care of this, among other like issues, I went in for an automatic on my next car