Can you avoid slipping the clutch during reverse ?

meerkat · 5th June 2006, 16:18

The reverse gear is much faster than is required most of the time (i.e. to or from
parking, when you don't need to move much). As a result I can't help slipping
the clutch at such times in order to control the car. Since this is supposed to
be bad for the clutch, -- is there a way one can avoid this during reverse ?

revharder · 5th June 2006, 16:40

never faced any such problem!
reversing is just a bit complex (w.r.t. looking back and the synchronisation of clutch and accelerator) than driving ahead, nothing else!

santosh.s · 5th June 2006, 16:48

I think ratio used for reverse is usually very close to 1st gear. Regarding clutch slipping, yes it is bad thing... but then clutch is meant for slipping after all, isn't it? So it should be fine when you can't avoid it while reversing or dead slow traffic or starting on an incline. If you try to avoid even that then engine will knock, which I think is more undesirable! What you should avoid is unnecessary slipping.

premdiv · 6th June 2006, 07:34

i too face the same problem, i have a curve with 50 degree incline to my house..... and the clutch always slips or the engine will knock......

meerkat · 6th June 2006, 09:01

I'm fairly new to stick shift driving. Thus, although I'm comfortable driving now,
I may not always use the best practices. Also, I don't necessarily have a valid
reference to compare my Baleno's behavior with, in certain respects. So, please
pardon my ignorance. Thanks for the responses. Here are my comments :

The reverse gear is certainly much faster than the first, so when I need to move
backwards only a few metres in the parking area, I certainly can't use the
accelerator! It is just slipping the clutch, and using the brake, -- or the car bolts.
Is such maneuvring common practice, or am I doing something wrong, and there
is a better way of doing this ? It certainly would have helped in controlling, if the
reverse gear were as slow as the first. But I guess it is as it is, due to a need of
having just a single reverse gear for handling different situations.

jyobeb · 6th June 2006, 09:34

It would certainly be very difficult to reverse for short distances without slipping the clutch, and normally one would not reverse for long distances. Just go ahead and slip your clutch while reversing, cos thats the only way you'll be able to reverse without jerking. Slipping your clutch when you need it, isn't really all that bad!!

humyum · 6th June 2006, 11:29

ya slipping the clutch for such a short distance wont make much of a difference.During heavy traffic we do it sometimes anways so its no big deal.

Jay · 6th June 2006, 11:35

Sometimes you'll have to slip the clutch while reversing to get it right, so i dont think that should be a problem.....

5th June 2006, 16:18	#1
meerkat BHPian Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: World Posts: 123 Thanked: 183 Times	Can you avoid slipping the clutch during reverse ? The reverse gear is much faster than is required most of the time (i.e. to or from parking, when you don't need to move much). As a result I can't help slipping the clutch at such times in order to control the car. Since this is supposed to be bad for the clutch, -- is there a way one can avoid this during reverse ?
	() Thanks

5th June 2006, 16:40	#2
revharder BHPian Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: New Delhi Posts: 460 Thanked: 56 Times	never faced any such problem! reversing is just a bit complex (w.r.t. looking back and the synchronisation of clutch and accelerator) than driving ahead, nothing else!
	() Thanks

5th June 2006, 16:48	#3
santosh.s Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,077 Thanked: 70 Times View My Garage	I think ratio used for reverse is usually very close to 1st gear. Regarding clutch slipping, yes it is bad thing... but then clutch is meant for slipping after all, isn't it? So it should be fine when you can't avoid it while reversing or dead slow traffic or starting on an incline. If you try to avoid even that then engine will knock, which I think is more undesirable! What you should avoid is unnecessary slipping.
	() Thanks

6th June 2006, 07:34	#4
premdiv BHPian Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Trivandrum Posts: 164 Thanked: Once	i too face the same problem, i have a curve with 50 degree incline to my house..... and the clutch always slips or the engine will knock......
	() Thanks

6th June 2006, 09:01	#5
meerkat BHPian Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: World Posts: 123 Thanked: 183 Times	New to stick shift ! I'm fairly new to stick shift driving. Thus, although I'm comfortable driving now, I may not always use the best practices. Also, I don't necessarily have a valid reference to compare my Baleno's behavior with, in certain respects. So, please pardon my ignorance. Thanks for the responses. Here are my comments : The reverse gear is certainly much faster than the first, so when I need to move backwards only a few metres in the parking area, I certainly can't use the accelerator! It is just slipping the clutch, and using the brake, -- or the car bolts. Is such maneuvring common practice, or am I doing something wrong, and there is a better way of doing this ? It certainly would have helped in controlling, if the reverse gear were as slow as the first. But I guess it is as it is, due to a need of having just a single reverse gear for handling different situations.
	() Thanks

6th June 2006, 09:34	#6
jyobeb Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Madurai Posts: 1,010 Thanked: 704 Times	It would certainly be very difficult to reverse for short distances without slipping the clutch, and normally one would not reverse for long distances. Just go ahead and slip your clutch while reversing, cos thats the only way you'll be able to reverse without jerking. Slipping your clutch when you need it, isn't really all that bad!!
	() Thanks

6th June 2006, 11:29	#7
humyum Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Mumbai Posts: 2,752 Thanked: 5,431 Times	ya slipping the clutch for such a short distance wont make much of a difference.During heavy traffic we do it sometimes anways so its no big deal.
	() Thanks

6th June 2006, 11:35	#8
Jay BHPian Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 819 Thanked: 8 Times	Sometimes you'll have to slip the clutch while reversing to get it right, so i dont think that should be a problem.....
	() Thanks