Please help me not burn my clutch out

[MaterialGirlFTW]

Ok, maybe I'm doing something wrong. I don't know.
We got alot of snow here in NJ, and I am trying to reverse my car up my driveway. It's a manual, BTW.
So, I put it in reverse, and try to back up slowly. I am on the gas and the clutch, at first, until the car rolls back, slowly, and then I start to let the clutch out more.

But then I get STUCK. I have AWD, and new all season tires, so the tread is still there.

So when I try to get unstuck, I start over again on the gas, and the clutch, and then I smell what I imagine to be the smell of my clutch. It's not the tires. I know what that smells like.

Am I doing something wrong? Is there a way to reverse the car without being on the clutch and the gas at the same time? I have tried before, and I always stall the car. It never fails.

[jacx920]

how much snow dude u guys get?
im in essex and I got like 6 inches supposed to get a foot 2moro...
and u going to the next nerd g2g??
sorry for not answering your question lol i have auto so i have no clue.

[SykoraA4]

we got like 2 feet plus here in md, this last storm. and too keep from getting stuck, and not bogging i had to slip the clutch a bunch. eventually it stank bad, but it went away after a while. man i hate that smell...

[mkunert]

Don't feather your clutch, just let it out and start backing up (especially in snow). Make sure you have your traction control OFF. You may be smelling your clutch, but if you have traction control on and you're gunning it, your brakes are also working to stop the wheels from spinning. When driving in deep snow and going relatively slow, turn off the traction control and power through it. Otherwise the traction control works against you.

[MaterialGirlFTW]

Thanks guys. I finally made it up after shoveling out a path for my tires. I don't know why it was so difficult though. I didn't have this problem the last time it snowed.

[pearlescent]

Feathering the clutch over time will cause burning clutch smell, sometimes you just gotta let it out, and its safer on snow to do so anyways

[MaterialGirlFTW]

how much snow dude u guys get?
im in essex and I got like 6 inches supposed to get a foot 2moro...
and u going to the next nerd g2g??
sorry for not answering your question lol i have auto so i have no clue.

I'm in Bergen County and we got somewhere around 6 inches I think. It stopped snowing for right now, but I heard it's supposed to continue all day tomorrow here also. I'm gonna try to make it to the next NERD G2G. How bout u?

[rnp614]

ESP off is key as well

[mkunert]

I've also found the brand of AS tires matter as well. I drive in snow all the time, and some AS tires frankly suck as both a summer tire and winter tire (Conti are complete junk as an AS tire, IMO). If you're going for an all purpose tire, I've had very good luck either the Potenzas or, better yet, the Pilot Exaltos. Never been stuck yet.

[Dr. Pepper]

this is what i do...

You know when you get to the engaging point and the car moves but you dont need to apply gas? You just keep hitting that point point to make your car roll back and forth till you break free and reverse out.

Dont know if i explained that right but the key thing is to roll back and forth. (saw it in Top Gear)

[MaterialGirlFTW]

this is what i do...

You know when you get to the engaging point and the car moves but you dont need to apply gas? You just keep hitting that point point to make your car roll back and forth till you break free and reverse out.

Dont know if i explained that right but the key thing is to roll back and forth. (saw it in Top Gear)

Thanks. I think I understand what you're saying. I just have this problem, where whenever I am in reverse, if I let the clutch all the way up, like I would do in first, the car wants to stall on me. Maybe it's because I am not giving enough gas, because I usually reverse much slower, and more gradually than I would in first.

[jacx920]

yeah ill be trying to make it as well. lacrosse may interfere. have fun in the snow tomoro :)

[rnp614]

Thanks. I think I understand what you're saying. I just have this problem, where whenever I am in reverse, if I let the clutch all the way up, like I would do in first, the car wants to stall on me. Maybe it's because I am not giving enough gas, because I usually reverse much slower, and more gradually than I would in first.

More gas.

[maidest]

Learn how to drive manual? Maybe?

[jacx920]

Learn how to drive manual? Maybe?

shut the fuck up, everyones not perfect like you.

[staticuxo]

Learn how to drive manual? Maybe?

wow.

[Nogaro]

lol ahh thats the sort of constructive criticism that makes this site great

[CoDRoX]

Thanks. I think I understand what you're saying. I just have this problem, where whenever I am in reverse, if I let the clutch all the way up, like I would do in first, the car wants to stall on me. Maybe it's because I am not giving enough gas, because I usually reverse much slower, and more gradually than I would in first.

Have you tried engaging the parking brake and giving it gas while releasing clutch, then releasing the parking brake? (I hope I explained it correctly) Kinda' the standard procedure when starting off on a slope..

[MaterialGirlFTW]

I know how to drive manual, and I'm fine with hills, and everything else, but I have problems when I get stuck in the snow when trying to reverse. Maybe I haven't mastered driving stick... idk. I was just inquiring about what you guys would do in a similar situation, because what I was doing wasn't working. I also thought all season tires would be fine, but apparently they are not ALL the same, and mine probably happen to suck.

[MaterialGirlFTW]

Learn how to drive manual? Maybe?

You're a jerk. Have a nice day.

[Matt@EuropaParts]

If I get stuck, I usually just get the clutch engaged and then just modulate it with the gas. The car eventually crawls itself out (but I also have snow tires, so that may be part of it as well). At least you got out :-)

[Grishbok]

ROFL! Just use a scandi flick with some speed and slide it up the hill next time.

It sounds like you had ESP ON, make sure to turn it off so it doesnt work against you.

Or yknow... learn how to drive a manual. (sorry couldnt resist after the other guy posted it)

[Alkemix]

If I get stuck, I usually just get the clutch engaged and then just modulate it with the gas. The car eventually crawls itself out (but I also have snow tires, so that may be part of it as well). At least you got out :-)

What he said!

I tend to call this feathering the clutch too though. Just keep the clutch at the point right before it starts grabbing and modulate the gas and only let the clutch out a tiny bit so that it can slightly engage as need. When doing this though... keep your RPMs low about about 1700 to 2000, so you don't burn up your clutch. You are burning clutch cause you are feathering at high RPMs. Low RPM's should keep you from smelling that burnt clutch.

[WasGTIguy]

Ok, maybe I'm doing something wrong. I don't know.
We got alot of snow here in NJ, and I am trying to reverse my car up my driveway. It's a manual, BTW.
So, I put it in reverse, and try to back up slowly. I am on the gas and the clutch, at first, until the car rolls back, slowly, and then I start to let the clutch out more.

But then I get STUCK. I have AWD, and new all season tires, so the tread is still there.

So when I try to get unstuck, I start over again on the gas, and the clutch, and then I smell what I imagine to be the smell of my clutch. It's not the tires. I know what that smells like.

Am I doing something wrong? Is there a way to reverse the car without being on the clutch and the gas at the same time? I have tried before, and I always stall the car. It never fails.

Get out and shovel your driveway first. Problem solved