Manual transmission (hills)

[Jabro]

So I saw a question in the forums about riding the clutch, and it got me wondering about what method you guys use stopped on inclines. Personally I haven't encountered a hill yet in which I've needed to use the ebrake, so I use the clutch to hold the car in place. However, I do know in some countries like the UK, that it is part of some of the driver's test to use the ebrake on hills to prevent any rollback whatsoever, and many keep that habit for life. So what method do you guys use?

[tooter]

I use the emergency brake on every slope where I run the risk of rolling backwards more than I want before engaging the clutch. It's a simple skill to learn, and can add thoudands of miles of useful life to your clutch.

I also don't slide the clutch between gears. I let the engine revs fall to about where they would be if engaged in the next gear before I engage the clutch.

I have my engine set up so that on the flat I can slowly release the clutch without any gas pedal at all and the car does a standing start without stalling the engine.

[ilikerice]

I use the brake pedal. At any incline, when coming from a stop, my feet are too fast and I got the sweet spot nailed.

[Yaristeve]

You shouldn't hold a car on a hill by feathering the clutch. This will accelerate clutch wear and if you do it long enough you can burn/glaze the disc.

The ebrake method is the simplest. Sometimes I heel-and-toe it when I misjudge the signal changing to green.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by tooter

I use the emergency brake on every slope where I run the risk of rolling backwards more than I want before engaging the clutch. It's a simple skill to learn, and can add thoudands of miles of useful life to your clutch.

I also don't slide the clutch between gears. I let the engine revs fall to about where they would be if engaged in the next gear before I engage the clutch.

^^^^^ Great description. This describes me as well. I've only encountered hills (with stop signs, and or lights, and or a need to park on that extreme an incline) where there is a need the use the emergency brake in: San Francisco, a few places in the Oakland/Berkeley hills, a few places off of I-280 on the San Francisco Peninsula, a few places along the Enchanted Circle in New Mexico, Eureka Springs in Arkansas, a few places in the Sierra Nevada, and in your neck of the woods (and I've driven my Yaris in D.C. and in every state but Montana, Idaho, and North Dakota).

[Altitude]

Brake pedal.

[yaris2010RS]

Originally Posted by ilikerice

I use the brake pedal. At any incline, when coming from a stop, my feet are too fast and I got the sweet spot nailed.

^this

also since i like to roll my car back and forth on a long red light it taught me better clutch control.

to add to this, i do not believe its legal or at least recommended to use ebrake while driving. in ontario on your drivers test you are not to put your car in neutral at a red light even when holding the brake, but instead leave it in first gear and hold the clutch "just in case" you need to take off unexpectedly. IE the car behind you does not appear to be stopping.

i could see ebrake as an extra un needed step in the even of an emergency.

also i could see using your ebrake on a hill would decrease clutch life as from my experience i ride the clutch more when using the ebrake to control roll back on a hill. Slightly higher RPM mixed with higher friction force on clutch till i feel the car fighting forward against the ebrake and then release

Also keep in mind when your ebrake is on and your not holding the foot brake your rear brake lights are not on. from my experience as a tow truck driver, getting into the routine of getting to an intersection, putting the car in neutral and pulling the ebrake is a very unsafe routine to get into

Just my $0.02

[tooter]

Originally Posted by nookandcrannycar

^^^^^ Great description. This describes me as well. I've only encountered hills (with stop signs, and or lights, and or a need to park on that extreme an incline) where there is a need the use the emergency brake in: San Francisco, a few places in the Oakland/Berkeley hills, a few places off of I-280 on the San Francisco Peninsula, a few places along the Enchanted Circle in New Mexico, Eureka Springs in Arkansas, a few places in the Sierra Nevada, and in your neck of the woods (and I've driven my Yaris in D.C. and in every state but Montana, Idaho, and North Dakota).

Hey nook,

Man, that's a lot of travelling... and it pays high tribute to your car.

Greg

[Jabro]

Originally Posted by yaris2010RS

^this

also since i like to roll my car back and forth on a long red light it taught me better clutch control.

to add to this, i do not believe its legal or at least recommended to use ebrake while driving. in ontario on your drivers test you are not to put your car in neutral at a red light even when holding the brake, but instead leave it in first gear and hold the clutch "just in case" you need to take off unexpectedly. IE the car behind you does not appear to be stopping.

i could see ebrake as an extra un needed step in the even of an emergency.

also i could see using your ebrake on a hill would decrease clutch life as from my experience i ride the clutch more when using the ebrake to control roll back on a hill. Slightly higher RPM mixed with higher friction force on clutch till i feel the car fighting forward against the ebrake and then release

Also keep in mind when your ebrake is on and your not holding the foot brake your rear brake lights are not on. from my experience as a tow truck driver, getting into the routine of getting to an intersection, putting the car in neutral and pulling the ebrake is a very unsafe routine to get into

Just my $0.02

Interesting that you cite safety here, and I totally see where you are coming from. The funny thing is that the I've heard the opposite argument for the use of the ebrake, in which supporters say having the ebrake engaged prevents your car from careening of the road uncontrollably in the event of a rear end collision at a stop.

Let me just say that I appreciate everyone's opinions, its just a topic I haven't heard discussed before and was wondering if there was any common variance between countries.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by tooter

Hey nook,

Man, that's a lot of travelling... and it pays high tribute to your car.

Greg

.....I meant all of the lower 48 except those three states. I've never beeen to Alaska, and I think I'm virtually the only person in my family who has never been to Hawaii. I've been to ND, MT, and ID...just not in my Yaris. But yea, I think it is a tribute to my car.....and thus to Toyota!

[yaris2010RS]

Originally Posted by Jabro

Interesting that you cite safety here, and I totally see where you are coming from. The funny thing is that the I've heard the opposite argument for the use of the ebrake, in which supporters say having the ebrake engaged prevents your car from careening of the road uncontrollably in the event of a rear end collision at a stop.

Let me just say that I appreciate everyone's opinions, its just a topic I haven't heard discussed before and was wondering if there was any common variance between countries.

^that is a very good point. Mind you that being said, with your foot firmly on the brake and clutch, the ebrake is quite useless.

[fnkngrv]

Originally Posted by ilikerice

I use the brake pedal. At any incline, when coming from a stop, my feet are too fast and I got the sweet spot nailed.

+1

btw...what is an "ebrake" ? I take it you are referring incorrectly to the parking brake?

[Jabro]

Originally Posted by fnkngrv

+1

btw...what is an "ebrake" ? I take it you are referring incorrectly to the parking brake?

Parking brake, hand brake, emergency brake, ebrake, it's all synonymous.