What is 'riding the clutch'?

[pbickerd]

I know its bad, and that it shouldnt be done, but I dont know what it actually is?

Is it just resting your foot on the clutch while driving along? i.e, not taking it off and putting it on the foot rest next to it?

[Alex]

It's holding the clutch at biting point instead of using the handbrake, at traffic lights, for example.

[Jag-D]

driving with the clutch peddle partially depressed and clutch partially engaged

[nevgroom]

I always thought it was "holding" the car when stationary on an incline using the clutch as opposed the brake (wears the clutch that does)

[hill79]

(resting on the clutch) that's what I'd understand from the term, I'd assume a little pressure on the peddle means the clutch isn't fully disengaged but I suspect its one of those things that's less of an issue on modern cars. Still, a bad habit!

Edited for clarity and to add, holding a car on the biting point for a short period of time is something I was taught to do when learning to drive, obviously if you're stationary for any length you'd pop the handbrake on but its fine for a short period, isnt it?

Edited by hill79 on Monday 7th February 16:04

[Petrolhead_Rich]

hill79 said:

that's what I'd understand from the term, I'd assume a little pressure on the peddle means the clutch isn't fully disengaged but I suspect its one of those things that's less of an issue on modern cars. Still, a bad habit!

No less of an issue at all, it's bad practice and will destroy your clutch in no time at all, not to mention risk of cable snapping and you flying into the back of someone!

[Alex]

If the pedal is above biting point, then resting your foot on it will probably only wear the release bearing.

[pbickerd]

Ah nice to see its not only mee that is confused what it actually means.

So what I'm getting is, its:

Holding the car stationary on a hill or at lights with the clutch on biting point

its not:

Sitting with the clutch fully depressed at lights etc instead of putting it in neutral
or
Resting your foot on the pedel.

Thanks for (mostly) clearing that up guys

[Mastodon2]

doogz said:

Em, wrong.

Riding the clutch, is driving with ones foot resting on the clutch pedal, for no reason.

Using clutch control to hold the car on a hill, is not riding the clutch.

I was also told that "riding the clutch" is depressing the clutch while cornering, and was a bad habit. Admittedly, she was a terrible teacher, but she had obviously seen someone do it at some point.

I think "Riding the clutch" really applies to any scenario when the clutch it depressed (fully or partially) and it should not be, whether cornering, holding the car on a hill, creeping for inch by inch at traffic lights etc.

[Alex]

It's a colloquial term, so I am not sure there is a text-book definition, but I have always understood (and so has my mum, who was a driving intructor for 30 years) that "riding the clutch" is holding the clutch at biting point for longer than necessary. You are literally "riding" the clutch plate. This is usually when creeping up to a junction or waiting for a traffic light to turn red. So simply resting your foot on the clutch pedal when driving is not "riding the clutch" in my opinion.

[busta]

I think some people are confusing riding the clutch with slipping the clutch.

Holding the car on a slope, or excessive feathering of the clutch when reversing are examples of slipping the clutch. Resting your foot on the clutch pedal without depressing it is riding the clutch.

Slipping the clutch accelerates clutch wear. Riding the clutch accelerates thrust bearing wear. Neither will cause catastrophic or instant failure- in any decent car the effects will only be noticeable over 10s of thousands of miles.

[kambites]

I've heard it used to mean both. I don't think it has a "technical" definition. You shouldn't be doing either, anyway.

[davepoth]

Slipping the clutch wears the plate, and holding the clutch all the way in wears the release bearing. The only time your foot should be on the clutch pedal at all is when pulling away and when changing gear.

[Haytch]

I always thought riding the clutch was being on the bite on a hill for example to keep the car still instead of using a handbrake but according to some in this thread its not that. With the new definition of riding the clutch being having your foot resting on it, what are you supposed to do if your pedal box has no footrest to the left of the clutch? The only place to rest it would be just under the clutch pedal which in an emergency situation is much more dangerous than "riding the clutch"

[kambites]

I don't see why it would be dangerous to not be able to get to the clutch. The idle fuel load isn't going to significantly increase your braking distance, the worst that will happen is you'll stall.