[Turninconcepts.com]

clutch in through a turn -

1) increased wear on the TOB which has been pointed out.
2) if you need to apply power you will need to get off the clutch. Depending upon the situation this can upset the balance or set that the car has taken through the turn.

there is a reason why you are told not to ride the clutch through a turn.

[WRX4ME LE 482]

Pressing the clutch for a long period of time is just stupid when you can just throw it in neutral and accomplish the same goal.

[inSTIgate]

Tripod said:

"I have been driving stick for 40 years, I regularly get over 100,000 miles on a clutch. Premature clutch wear is driver error."

My reply: Why are you driving an STi if you baby your cars so much that you are even seeing 100,00 miles out of the stock clutch?

Wearing a clutch out doesn't necessarily have anything to do with driver error. It could be, however it could also be driver using their 300hp to do more then just idle around from point A-B.

:P Anyway this thread should have been locked after 2 posts were made.. someone should have said:

"Engine braking is fine, save your brake pads and hit up rev-matched downshifts you'll be alright.

Then another person should have said: "Why waste your clutch-life.. just use your brake pads they are cheaper anyway."

Then = teh lock. The thread starter could then decide which they would prefer to buy first, a clutch or a set of brake pads.

[/thread]

[tripod]

Originally Posted by inSTIgate

My reply: Why are you driving an STi if you baby your cars so much that you are even seeing 100,00 miles out of the stock clutch?

Wearing a clutch out doesn't necessarily have anything to do with driver error. It could be, however it could also be driver using their 300hp to do more then just idle around from point A-B.


[/thread]

I don't baby my STI, I hit red line daily, and I carve corners. Maybe I just know how not to abuse a car/clutch. You can drive hard and not be abusive at the same time. Comes with age and experience, I guess.

I don't idle from A to B, I have lots of racing experince. I only abuse my tires.

I guess some people just don't get it. There is use, and then there is abuse.

[DBasWRX21]

I agree if you know to dowshift the right way your clutch will last much longer, I know this because my brother with a Audi A4 did not rev match when driving in the city and his car has 120k on it the car, which is on its 3rd clutch

[GarySheehan]

Originally Posted by inSTIgate

Tripod said:

"I have been driving stick for 40 years, I regularly get over 100,000 miles on a clutch. Premature clutch wear is driver error."

My reply: Why are you driving an STi if you baby your cars so much that you are even seeing 100,00 miles out of the stock clutch?

I consistently get over 100,000 miles out of my road car clutches. I don't baby any of my cars and heel-toe double-clutch all of my downshifts. I'm not "racing" on the street, it's just how I drive. It would take more conscious effort from me to NOT drive that way.

Clutch life is completely dependent on clutch slip. If you minimize slip (both upshifting and downshifting) you minimize wear. 100,000 miles on a clutch should be easy for anyone who is paying attention, regardless of how hard the car is driven.

Gary
Sheehan Motor Racing
www.garysheehan.com

[sti2relaxxin]

Originally Posted by cusco

i don't do that fancy downshift stuff.

I do all the fancy downshift stuff. It just makes the drive more fun.

[STiBriT]

Originally Posted by sti2relaxxin

I do all the fancy downshift stuff. It just makes the drive more fun.

I too enjoy downshifting while I drive. If I'm coming back from work and I'm tired and I am aproaching a stop light I will put it in neutral and use the brakes to slow. If I'm feeling fancy I'll downshift all the way to second then if I have to come to a complete stop I'll put it in neutral. I consider it practice for the track. I'd rather learn to rev match and downshift going 45mph on the street than when I'm going 110 out at sebring.

It all depends on your style and how much you want to get out of your driving experience. I really don't mind having to replace my clutch a thousand miles prmaturely as lond as I was having fun.

[sti2relaxxin]

I rev match and heel-toe when I am going 5 miles an hour around a corner in the city pretty much all day every day. Less strain on the engine and less jerkiness are the fruits of this labor! I was thinking about this mess of a thread today, and thought about a good example for engine braking that everyone can relate to: driving on the highway at speed and coming up on a slower car or traffic; what to do but take your foot off the gas and let the car slow down until you actually need to use the brakes. This is common sense, and after reading this thread, I think a lot of the explanations on here are being misinterpreted.