Steven Newell wrote:
> Chad Jester wrote:
>
>> I think one major key to long clutch life is keeping
>> your foot off the clutch (i.e. don't sit at red lights
>> with your clutch depressed.....put the car in neutral
>> and let up on the clutch). Also, start the car in
>> neutral with foot OFF the clutch. That goes more
>> toward preserving your thrust bearing though.
>>
I always drive like that. I though I was saving the T/O bearing because I
didn't understand it was
spinning anyway. But I probably did save it some. But what I really saved was
the Thrust Bearing,
and I didn't know they existed :-)
> This summer, on the way to my brother's house with 8 year old Ben in the
> TR4 passenger seat, I made a quick but not sudden stop on a yellow light
> on a divided two-lane-each-way suburban main street. I'd checked that
> the 'classic' Bronco in our lane was way behind us before I braked, but
> he must have been enjoying the mountain view -- just after I stopped I
> heard his tires lock up. I let out the clutch and got on the gas and we
> crawled across the right turn lane (I'd been in 2nd) then onto the side
> street, looking back to see the Bronco stopped in the space we'd
> occupied a moment before.
>
> Personally, I'm okay with replacing the clutch more frequently. Keep it
> in gear at least till other traffic is stopped. And I'm a big fan of
> torquey low-rev engines on the street.
>
Accidents happen. I was last rear ended in 1969. Stopped at a light behind a
guy, a guy was stopped
behind me, and the guy behind him made an accordion of was all. No warning
until the crunch.
After putting all this work into these cars, I can understand how they become
trailer queens.
I read on the list a guy sold his AH BJ8 because he was afraid to drive it.
Don Malling
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