Can't stop riding my clutch when reversing
 

I have a bad habit of riding my clutch when I back out (reverse gear). I know Im doing it but I can't seem to stop, I do it because I want to backout very slowly as to not hit anything. If I just go into full gear I feel like Im backing up too quickly. I was wondering if anyone else does this or has some handy advice to help get myself to stop doing this. I dont have a reverse camera, I have the basic '13 pinoeer HU which I love and don't plan on replacing. So that isn't an option.

Riding it a little to backup a couple feet is not the biggest deal in the world, BUT: Try using no throttle, and practice in a flat parking lot. Back up using only the clutch, and let it out fully, then slowly apply throttle gently.

It will help you learn how the engagement feels, and what input will give you the desired output.

Also, this is the marketplace. For future reference, there are technical topic boards where you can ask questions.

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=8

:)

I never use throttle when backing up, just clutch. It's fine!

I never tried backing up without using any throttle great tip. I always figured I would just stall and I gave it gas. Totally works and doesn't stall.

Also my bad about creating this thread in the wrong place. If an admin wants to delete it is okay with me.

I always have this problem when reverse parking up hills and sydney has plenty of hills.
The reverse gear should have been a lower ratio from the factory.
Who wants to drive backwards fast anyway?

Totally agree. I feel like they did that so the car could execute good j turns, which also helped for commercials and ads. In the real world no one needs to do a j turn unless they are hooning. This gear should be lower ratio.

My driveway is uphill and I have to hit the top at a 45 degree angle, so the car won't hi center.

So, I have no choice except to slip the clutch quite a bit, backing out.

I've been doing this for over four years with my FR-S and the clutch still works just fine.


humfrz

At less of 1500 rpms i will not worry about it

I ride the clutch all the time too, don't feel bad. I put the car in reverse and just give it throttle and once I start moving I press the clutch pedal back in, and repeat as needed until I need to go into first.

I might try some other people's method but the way I do it has been working fine.

My car is at 62k miles over 4.5 years, I almost always ride the clutch to reverse (quite similarly to @Alltezza in fact), it's rare that I'm moving enough distance backwards to let it out fully and I have no signs of slippage despite hundreds of autox launches on top of me being a knucklehead that's slow to learn. I've stalled it at least dozens of times (don't think I'm at 100+ though) and I've smelled my burning clutch a handful of times as well.

Clutches are tough, the fact that you care and are cognizant of what you're doing means you're probably not doing anything terribly wrong. Yeah, try to be better, but don't sweat it, as long as you can't smell it you're probably not doing any noticeable damage to it.

try backing up on an incline...

Yeah, I've done that and it's a bit more finicky. OP wasn't asking about inclines in his original post though.

I thought this was normal

If you're just reversing slowly you'll be fine feathering it. Blip and engage/slip the clutch and then clutch in to roll. A few feathers you'll be rolling speed.
If you're going backwards up and incline that's another story, i imagine you'll need to fully engage the clutch to avoid slipping it alot.