Do you use the clutch to slow you down?

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RichM

RichM

Well-Known Member
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When on snow/ice, do you slip the clutch slightly in first in order to slow you down on hills?

I find that using first gear alone will often gather too much speed. Braking often results in a skid and HDC isn't always helpful either.

Personally I've had to slip the clutch a lot in the past few days to help slow the car down, but I'm worried that it may be doing more harm than good.
 
jamesmartin said:
try 2nd or 3rd gear the higher the gear the less torque given to wheels ,not a good idea to slip clutch too much
Click to expand...

That's a good idea going up hill but 3rd gear when you're going down a steep hill covered in ice/snow while trying to slow down? I think I'd need to be high on something to try that!
 
and you really should be preparing before you hit the slope, try slowing down before hand. Use a low gear with clutch fully out and let the engine do the work
 
It's not just slopes. It's oncoming cars etc etc. Of course, I try to anticipate but if it were simple to do that all the time, we would use our brakes much less than what we do now.

I'm not sure what to do tbh. HDC has proven itself to be useless on a few occasions. Braking will often result in a skid on snow/ice even at slow speed and the car will often travel too fast down steep hills even in first gear.
 
I find HDC absolutely perfect. Bottom gear, feet off all pedals and let the computer do its stuff. Goes very slowly, (feels too slow), no need for pressing the clutch. Gets down safely in one piece.
Read the Warning in the owners manual. "Do not depress the clutch....HDC will no longer function".
 
RichM said:
It's not just slopes. It's oncoming cars etc etc. Of course, I try to anticipate but if it were simple to do that all the time, we would use our brakes much less than what we do now.

I'm not sure what to do tbh. HDC has proven itself to be useless on a few occasions. Braking will often result in a skid on snow/ice even at slow speed and the car will often travel too fast down steep hills even in first gear.
Click to expand...
slipping the clutch allows gravity to accelerate you, whereas leaving it in first off all the pedals(with traction) should see you doing about 4-6 mph.
 
No HDC on mine, not had a problem with mine in all the snow and ice, found it very sure footed and controlable on all serfices that the weather has thrown at me in the last couple of weeks,



























But thats probably cos mine's a propper landy, well it's a disco which is very nearly a propper landy (added the last bit before all you rufty tufty fender peeps start) :hysterically_laughi
 
Agreed, feet OFF the clutch.

If engine braking isn't stopping you, how will freewheeling and/or applying the brakes (which of course act more on the front than the rear) going to help?
 
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