The clutch gang!

[Chuck]

I spent a month back in 2016 in the UK and Ireland driving around ...

Great points; I'm with ya. I've driven right-hand-drive manuals in a few countries and it does take some getting used to. I kept turning on the windshield wipers instead of the turn signal. And my right arm always felt cramped and strangely claustrophobic. I kept instinctively banging it into the door to shift, then realized I had to use my left hand. Ireland has those damn ancient stone walls right on the shoulders ... and sheep wander onto the road all the time. That country was a challenge.

Thank you for your service, btw!

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[OldGuyNewJeep]

Anyone else notice the number of issues threads that seem to pertain only to automatics? e.g. problems with ESS and problems with push button start

Clutch Gangs wins!

 

[NavyVet1959]

Anyone else notice the number of issues threads that seem to pertain only to automatics? e.g. problems with ESS and problems with push button start

Clutch Gangs wins!

Not surprising... More complexity, more things to go wrong...

Just remember... There's a reason that 3rd pedal to the left is called the MAN pedal...

 

[NavyVet1959]

The "hill start assist" feature eliminates that anxiety. To be honest, though, I keep toggling that setting. It works beautifully, but I'm not used to it so it feels weird and so I disable it. Then, inevitably, I run into your situation above and think, "If I had that setting on I wouldn't even be thinking about how close that asshat is to my bumper" so I turn it back on. Currently, I have it on and am trying to get used to the feeling.

I've driven a manual transmission in downtown San Francisco. Some of those streets are pretty steep and if you are stopped at a light on an incline, it could be a bit of a challenge if you are not good with a manual transmission. We didn't used to have a "hill start assist", you were just expected to have the skill to feather in the clutch while letting off on the brake and be giving it gas at the same time. Or you just use the emergency (hand) brake to give yourself a little brake while switching your foot to the gas pedal.

 

[Karl_in_Chicago]

<snippage>
And, yeah, I think most drivers out there just assume that everyone's in an automatic, which is why so many people roll up right behind my rear bumper on steep hills.

Years ago while entering our company's indoor parking garage in my 6-speed 'vette a co-worker was close behind me. There's a station you have to stop at and slap your ID badge on to open the gate. I did as I usually do, pull up, stop while shifting into neutral and then reaching out to slap the badge; it was a long reach UP from the low corvette position so it was always safer to make the stretch without the car in gear. As soon as I made the stretch I also released the brake pedal (level ground, not going anywhere) and my co-worker gunned her mammoth SUV and almost slammed into me. Apparently the concept of a car standing still without brake lights on was entirely foreign to her - and it was somehow MY fault. I asked her - "You're my age, you've NEVER seen a car with a manual transmission? And, by the way, you DID notice I was leaning way out of the car, right? Do you really know anyone that DRIVES in that position?". Everybody drives with blinders on these days - lights on in front of me, stop, lights go out, go. And this was well before being zombified by your cell phone was the norm and not the exception.

 

[OldGuyNewJeep]

Or you just use the emergency (hand) brake to give yourself a little brake while switching your foot to the gas pedal.

That's how I learned, and is pretty much what "hill start assist" does for you.

 

[NavyVet1959]

That's how I learned, and is pretty much what "hill start assist" does for you.

Yeah, but we can't expect people to be able to do that these days because it might mean that they would spill their Starbucks coffee or drop their cell phone.

I prefer the hand brake technique over the automated hill start stuff. It's purely mechanical and as such, there is less to go wrong. Even if the car dies and the electrical system is completely dead, the hand brake is going to continue to work.

 

[PavementWarrior]

I've driven a manual transmission in downtown San Francisco. Some of those streets are pretty steep and if you are stopped at a light on an incline, it could be a bit of a challenge if you are not good with a manual transmission. We didn't used to have a "hill start assist", you were just expected to have the skill to feather in the clutch while letting off on the brake and be giving it gas at the same time. Or you just use the emergency (hand) brake to give yourself a little brake while switching your foot to the gas pedal.

Driving that as a kid, with a stick and a zero power 70's four banger is a memory, lol.

Not only was I a new driver but an old taxi with bald tires and an auto, was going backwards down the hill despite burning rubber for all it was worth.


These JLs are beast mode, 285 hp in a 6? yes sir

 

[SarahMobius]

Late to the party here, but my Jeeps have all been stick shifts... just the way it should be. I don't think I would know how to work the 4WD in an automatic, or I wouldn't be comfortable with it. I'm old, I guess!

 

[NavyVet1959]

These JLs are beast mode, 285 hp in a 6? yes sir

An '89 Porsche that I owned had 247 hp out of a 3.0 liter 4-cylinder.

 

[Torero]

That's how I learned, and is pretty much what "hill start assist" does for you.

I learned in a Land Rover 1970 with a useless park brake. So no park brake assist for me. And my dad’s rule was no more than 3 inches roll back regardless of hill. So let the guy behind get as close as he dares. Worst case the issue is not the guy behind but the guy in front. If there is nothing in front you can let go of the brake and step on the gas and let out the clutch simultaneously. No feathering anything just burn the tires and off you go lol:cwl:
But I don’t disagree that the park brake is a good trick. Also the mistake most novices make is to let clutch all the way out. You got to feather it a bit to be safe. Also that Land Rover had a manual accelerator that was useful in steep starts. Hum. My TOYOTA FJ 40also had a manual accelerator, wonder when those disappeared.

 

[AlamedaJeep]

I prefer the hand brake technique over the automated hill start stuff. It's purely mechanical and as such, there is less to go wrong. Even if the car dies and the electrical system is completely dead, the hand brake is going to continue to work.

This has always been my technique - at least on steep hills (I live near San Francisco). I read in another post (I think by you) that the parking break on the JL is now electronic - either on or off. Is that the case? If so, I wonder how that will affect this technique.

Waiting on my JL to arrive so I can't try either the parking break technique or the hill start assist yet.

 

[NavyVet1959]

This has always been my technique - at least on steep hills (I live near San Francisco). I read in another post (I think by you) that the parking break on the JL is now electronic - either on or off. Is that the case? If so, I wonder how that will affect this technique.

Waiting on my JL to arrive so I can't try either the parking break technique or the hill start assist yet.

I seem to remember that the JL has the traditional hand brake (i.e. a real emergency brake). I was probably pointing out that many cars these days have the stupid "parking brakes" that provide no backup emergency capabilities whatsoever. I guess the kiddie engineers don't realize that electrical systems do fail.

 

[AlamedaJeep]

I seem to remember that the JL has the traditional hand brake (i.e. a real emergency brake). I was probably pointing out that many cars these days have the stupid "parking brakes" that provide no backup emergency capabilities whatsoever. I guess the kiddie engineers don't realize that electrical systems do fail.

I really hope so! I don't think I tried the emergency brake during my test drive - but it did look like a traditional brake. Can anyone confirm this? No Jeep to check this on yet.

 

[Kenny]

I really hope so! I don't think I tried the emergency brake during my test drive - but it did look like a traditional brake. Can anyone confirm this? No Jeep to check this on yet.

Yep - that’s what it is

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