New driver questions on clutch help please don't want to burn it out..

I don't want to burn out my clutch and I am a little rusty on driving.

So at traffic lights when waiting can I leave it in first with clutch down with brake on or is that bad for clutch?

When breaking is putting the clutch all the way down and breaking at the same time bad? Should I break then put clutch in at last minute?

Also on hill starts does everyone roll a little bit backwards? I am putting handbrake on building up revs then relasing hand break..

Appreciate your help
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  • DoaM
    DoaM Posts: 11,863
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    edited 18 October 2016 at 11:49AM
    At traffic lights, unless I know I'm only going to be waiting a couple of seconds I always use the handbrake and select neutral (so release the clutch).

    When I'm braking I also change gears so that engine braking also assists, and fully depress the clutch pedal only when coming to a stop.

    If you roll back a little on a hill start, you're doing it wrong. You should never roll back - and this would probably give you a "minor" mark on a driving test. :)
  • tykesi
    tykesi Posts: 2,061
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    I don't want to burn out my clutch and I am a little rusty on driving.

    So at traffic lights when waiting can I leave it in first with clutch down with brake on or is that bad for clutch? If you're waiting for more than just a few seconds you should be in neutral with the handbrake up and not on the brake OR the clutch - almost nobody does this though and so long as the clutch is all the way down you won't do any damage

    When breaking is putting the clutch all the way down and breaking at the same time bad? Should I break then put clutch in at last minute? It is bad but for a different reason to your question about the clutch. If you are ’braking’ you should also be in gear and coming down the gears in order really. By being in gear you are getting the benefit of engine ’braking which keeps the car under more control than just the brakes. If you have the clutch in whilst ’braking again, so long as it is all the way down there won’t be any damage.

    Also on hill starts does everyone roll a little bit backwards? I am putting handbrake on building up revs then relasing hand break.. With good clutch control you should not roll back, if you are you need to practice on different gradients to get used to the feel of your car and how the clutch behaves. This will only come with practice really.

    Appreciate your help

    Probably differing opinions on all this but these are my opinion.
  • Thanks!

    Hopefully I haven't done any damage only been driving the car 3 days!

    I need a lot of practice
  • AnotherJoe
    AnotherJoe Posts: 19,622
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    If you have a manual car you should put it in neutral at traffic lights.
    It wont actually be bad for the clutch if you did what you proposed as long as its fully depressed, but were someone to hit you from behind*, whats going going to happen is, your foot will come off clutch and car will leap forward, most likely into car in front,worst case into incoming or crossing traffic, and in either case making a bad situation worse.

    On a hill start, you need to practice, you should not drop backwards (and I believe thats a fail on the test?) You need to coordinate releasing clutch and handbrake.

    * they might fail to stop, or they might anticipate the lights and go forward ahead of you moving.
  • sk240
    sk240 Posts: 474
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    Im afraid i disagree with the holding of the clutch pedel down not causing any damege, as quite often its the thrust bearing that wears out and not the clutchg itself.
    When your foot is on the clutch, it transfers all of that load onto the thrust bearing....
  • loskie
    loskie Posts: 1,761
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    sounds like you should bite the bullet and take a driving refresher lesson.
    https://www.bsm.co.uk/learner-driver/refreshers-lessons

    I had a half day IAM one through work last year and quite enjoyed it. I am 44 and drive around 20000m per year 60000m per year in my early to mid 20's.
  • AdrianC
    AdrianC Posts: 42,189
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    Is it worth booking a refresher lesson with an instructor?

    If you're "rusty" on something so basic as clutch control, what else are you "rusty" on when it comes to the finer details of playing nicely with other traffic...?
  • jimjames
    jimjames Posts: 17,532
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    When breaking is putting the clutch all the way down and breaking at the same time bad? Should I break then put clutch in at last minute?

    I'd also be very careful. If you've only just got the car the last thing you want to be doing is breaking it :)
    Remember the saying: if it looks too good to be true it almost certainly is.
  • AnotherJoe
    AnotherJoe Posts: 19,622
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    sk240 wrote: »
    Im afraid i disagree with the holding of the clutch pedel down not causing any damege, as quite often its the thrust bearing that wears out and not the clutchg itself.
    When your foot is on the clutch, it transfers all of that load onto the thrust bearing....

    So, even an old g** like me can learn new stuff then! I stand corrected.
  • dogshome
    dogshome Posts: 3,877
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    Never keep the clutch depressed when stationary, always slip into nuetral

    You are not harming the clutch by keeping it depressed, but you are massively increasing the wear on the Thrust Bearing which operates the clutch - This is a simple part that doesn't cost much, but changeing it involves nearly as much labour and cost as replaceing the entire clutch.

    My ancient Pug 406 I keep as a caravan tug has just clocked 160,000 miles and it's running on the original clutch
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