Proper techinique for driving a regular tranmission. Hubby s

Proper techinique for driving a regular tranmission. Hubby says I am doing it wrong. I own a 94 Chevy Camaro.
What I do is when I am slowing down, I clutch, then put the car in the gear I am intending to use after I slow or stop and hold the clutch down while I am waiting or I clutch and put the car in neutral and release the clutch till I am prepared to go. My hubby says I am riding the clutch. Is this good or bad? I may change gears smoothly with no problem, but he does not like me clutching style. I had to teach myself to drive a regular many years ago and this is only my 2nd standard car. What am I doing wrong? He's a trucker, but I know the clutching is different between an 18 wheeler and a five speed. Any advice from you professionals out there to help me settle this dispute and maybe save my clutch and pressure plate and tranny? I'd appreciate only mature answers and none of the I am too old for this kind of car insults. it is just a car. I love it and do not want to tear it up. My 1st manual tranny was a Mustang and replaced a clutch with in three months. I thanks for helping. God Bless you.

you're only 'riding the clutch' if it's partially engaged which means you have it halfway up or down.
If your foot is on the clutch and it's totally down on the floor, your clutch isn't engaged whiich means you aren't riding it..only when you start moving and you're letting up on it but don,t let it up all the way..this is riding the clutch.a good rule of thumb is either have it depressed all the way down or have your foot off it..when you start moving keep your foot off it as little as possible.

45 years of driving stick with over a million miles to boot.

I agree with your hubby. And riding the clutch is most likely the reason you had to replace the clutch so soon in your Mustang riding the clutch is hard on it . I have had some cars with manual transmissions, and they only time I have had to replace a clutch was not till the car was 16 years old.

tell him to MYOB...if you are not jerking it or grinding gears the worst you are doing is wearint the throw out bearing.with a 94 you will need clutch soon anyway

If you are sitting still, holding the clutch ALL THE WAY down, you are not "riding the clutch". Riding the clutch is keeping your foot on it while you are moving and the car is in gear, and that's bad. I have driven more manual transmissions in my life than automatics.

Put the car in neutral when stop,then use the clutch when put it in gear is the correct way.Hubby is right.Case closed.

Nothing wrong with holding the clutch down when waiting to go except the pressure plate is doing needless work If you're riding the clutch you aren't releasing the clutch pedal quickly enough when changing gear and have not completely released your foot from the accelerator simultaneously.Listen to hubby he knows. I owned a garage and a lady buyer burnt clutches out like fury because she had a hard access to her garage and slipped the clutch badly to get in there. it's all about co ordination between your feet controlling the clutch and accelerator pedals

Riding the clutch is when you have your foot resting on the pedal but not completely depressed while the car is moving and causes the clutch to slip overheating it and causing premature failure. Nothing wrong with the way you are doing it but semi drivers tend to avoid using the clutch because they have to shift so much so they cheat by revving the engine enough to slip the shifter into neutral when stopping or slowing down, then rev again to pick the next gear which is hard on the synchro's in the trans..well, semi transmissions are much beefier than car ones and can handle that kind of changing much better. Talk to some trans mechanics for their advice. Cheaper to replace a clutch setup on a car from normal use than a whole trans or rebuild...keep changing the way you do.

When not using the clutch keep your foot off it. Only put your foot on it when it's going to be used. Resting your foot on the clutch will decrease the pressure on the pressure plate and let it slip and burn the clutch. I see nothing wrong with your changing technique. I can not shift mine to first gear till I stop and if I do not down shift I just let off the gas and slip it into neutral and most of the time I do not use the clutch I shift by RPM change and just use the clutch to take off.

When slowing down, push the clutch pedal all the way down to the floor, while you're moving the shift lever to the next lower gear, give the accelerator pedal a fast shove to bring your engine rpm's up to your now faster transmission rpm's. Then let the clutch out smoothly and comparatively quickly. Never drive with your foot touching the clutch pedal. When starting off in 1st gear, you have to learn to " feather " your fuel feed [ gas pedal and letting out the clutch pedal smoothly with average speed. keeping away from stalling, tire spinning, hopping, etc. This all takes lots of practice and should be learned to the point where it happens naturally, without much thought. Driver training is typically easier and more successful without a spouse or relative, patience and understanding is really useful.

So far from what I have read, everybody is telling you that you're right or wrong, but not what is happening to the car so you may be able to make your choice. When you have the clutch pedal I, you're moving an actuator alike to a fork, that presses a bearing clutch bearing down on the fingers of the pressure plate. The pressure plate is what captures the clutch plate by pressing it against the fly wheel back of the engine and transmits the power to the transmission. While you're pressing the clutch pedal down, the bearing is carrying all of the forces and simultaneously spinning at the same rate of the engine. Here is what your husband is worried about, the bearing isn't meant for continual pressure and the lubricants in it'll not take the amount of heat worked on. The bearing can freeze up and when it happens it can either tear up the actuating fork or the fingers on the pressure plate, either of these will make it so you can't use the clutch and will be costly. With that being said if you expect the light to be short, five to ten seconds, go ahead and keep the clutch in but if you figure you'll be there for more than ten seconds, let it rest.

You should attempt and not ''ride'' the clutch as you drive as you'll sooner or later burn it out.instead,come down the gears and softly use your brake as you're slowing down,then choose the proper gear for pulling away,either first or 2nd.1st if you're at a stand still,2nd if you're still moving.try not to ''freewheel'' ie coast in gear with your foot on the clutch,as you aren't completely in control.hope this helps a wee bit.

if its all the way down then its on the throw out bearing if its at the point of engagement then its engaged how hard is that. And based on the year of the rig or make etc.. he's to double clutch anyways

&gt,&gt,What I do is when I am slowing down, I clutch, then put the car in the gear I am intending to use after I slow or stop&lt,&lt,
You do not say how fast you are going.
it's common for people to down shift to use the engine to slow the car, saving the brakes some. If you are talking about coming to a light that's changing or turning a corner, not sure why changing before you stop could be a problem. it's unconventional but at low speeds, not sure where it could be a problem.
&gt,&gt,hold the clutch down while I am waiting or I clutch and put the car in neutral and release the clutch till I am prepared to go&lt,&lt,
If you put it in neuteral, could release the clutch.
Riding the clutch typically mentions keeping your foot on the clutch when you are not using it. This keeps constant pressure on the clutch causing premature failure.
For the most part, limiting how much the clutch can be used increases its' life span. And to fix a clutch will require dropping the transmission.

Listen to your husband, he knows what he's doing if he drives an 18 wheeler. In an 18 wheeler you do not generally need the clutch when changing.