Reversing on a Hill

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Reversing on a Hill

Post by cooperage »

I had to parallel park with my car pointing downhill yesterday. It was a steep hill, with a big curb, so I was trying to avoid the surrounding cars and curb rash.

I managed using the handbrake and a series of gas launches, which felt a bit clunky and a tad abusive to the clutch. No aromas of cooked clutch. But a fellow gear-rower listening from around the corner might have thought, "sounds like n00b..."

Anyone have a good technique for reversing on a steep hill like that? Seems like a teaching moment.
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Squint
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Re: Reversing on a Hill

Post by Squint »

I think I would end up doing something similar to what it sounds like you did. Parking on a steep incline is always a bit tricky with a manual and you will be slipping the clutch to get the car positioned properly - forward or reverse. Basically, whenever you have to do minute movements at low single digit speeds, you will probably have to ride the clutch pedal a bit more than you think is necessary.

Cow, RP, or somebody that has been driving longer than my 5 years might have a better solution, but I don't know of a better way than creeping where you need to go and practice to ensure you have good control over your gas pedal (to prevent revving to 3500 RPM when you only need 2000... for example). If you are comfortable with it, you can always add the hand brake like you mentioned, though I never bothered to learn that method well other than the basics of how to do it. I went straight to quick jumping the gas from the brake pedal.
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Re: Reversing on a Hill

Post by IMBoring25 »

It will usually take some gas in that situation, but it doesn't necessarily take RPM. With (a lot of) experience, you can apply as much throttle as you need, but interplay the clutch with it such that the extra power the engine is producing goes straight to the wheels rather than to revving up the engine. It takes a lot of experience to be able to do it with a reasonable amount of consistency, everyone goes through this phase, and you probably won't seriously hurt anything in the meantime.
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Re: Reversing on a Hill

Post by Rope-Pusher »

...Like a no-gas launch, but as the clutch starts to grab, you feed in just enough accelerator pedal to keep the rpms from dipping.
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Re: Reversing on a Hill

Post by potownrob »

Rope-Pusher wrote:...Like a no-gas launch, but as the clutch starts to grab, you feed in just enough accelerator pedal to keep the rpms from dipping.
you done just taught us all how to drive stick :!: :P :D :twisted:
ClutchFork wrote:...So I started carrying a stick of firewood with me and that became my parking brake.
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Re: Reversing on a Hill

Post by Squint »

potownrob wrote:
Rope-Pusher wrote:...Like a no-gas launch, but as the clutch starts to grab, you feed in just enough accelerator pedal to keep the rpms from dipping.
you done just taught us all how to drive stick :!: :P :D :twisted:
Well crap. I've apparently been doing it wrong this whole time. I thought the goal was to feed it infinite amounts of accelerator pedal at all time.

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Re: Reversing on a Hill

Post by tankinbeans »

There would be a major code brown going if I had to try that.

My hill holder would be tested to its limit (both fore and aft), then I'd say fluff it and find a different spot. I know, naughty naughty for using the feature...but it's there and dammit I like it.
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Re: Reversing on a Hill

Post by Squint »

tankinbeans wrote:There would be a major code brown going if I had to try that.

My hill holder would be tested to its limit (both fore and aft), then I'd say fluff it and find a different spot. I know, naughty naughty for using the feature...but it's there and dammit I like it.
There's nothing bad about using a feature that your car has. You still have a manual transmission, beyond that, everything else is up for grabs.(and occasionally, we'll let the heathens with autos stick around... but don't count on it. *looks at rob*). Just like how some people don't want a car with power windows yet others want a HUD and the cushiest car available. As long as it's a manual, it's all good.

The only thing to be disappointed about by using a hill-hold feature is if you completely lose your ability to drive a car that doesn't have that feature on a hill. But if you continually plan on having a vehicle with hill-hold, even that doesn't matter.
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cooperage
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Re: Reversing on a Hill

Post by cooperage »

tankinbeans wrote:There would be a major code brown going if I had to try that.

My hill holder would be tested to its limit (both fore and aft), then I'd say fluff it and find a different spot. I know, naughty naughty for using the feature...but it's there and dammit I like it.
I have a hill holder too, and I hardly notice it any more, but when I do, I'm glad it's there. But I definitely don't trust it enough to parallel park on a downhill. Hence the handbrake. I was working all the pedals, wheels, and levers for sure. (Good morning workout and a bonus rush of anxiety...)
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Re: Reversing on a Hill

Post by tankinbeans »

Vibrate your way to fitness. Parallel parking is hard enough for me. Keep your traffic away from me.
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Re: Reversing on a Hill

Post by potownrob »

Squint wrote: There's nothing bad about using a feature that your car has. You still have a manual transmission, beyond that, everything else is up for grabs.(and occasionally, we'll let the demons with autos stick around... but don't count on it. *looks at rob, tank and wannabe*). Just like how some people don't want a car with power windows (ahem....Paul and Paul Jr.) yet others want a HUD and the cushiest car available (uhhhhhh....Your mom!!). As long as it's a manual, it's allllllll good.
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ClutchFork wrote:...So I started carrying a stick of firewood with me and that became my parking brake.
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Re: Reversing on a Hill

Post by Rope-Pusher »

[quote="SquintThe only thing to be disappointed about by using a hill-hold feature is if you completely lose your ability to drive a car that doesn't have that feature on a hill. [/quote]
Books put us on this road to ruin. Before books, you had to memorize stories, songs, poems, trig tables, etc. Now with books, you just need to remember what bookshelf it is stored on.
Don't get me started on calendars! Before calendars, you had to learn to keep track of the seasons by sniffing the wind, looking up to the skies each night to track the constellations, watch for buds and falling leaves, etc. Now we just wake up, check the date and we know if it's time to plant or reap.
...and Clocks! People used to keep track of their days based on sunrise, sunset, lengths of shadows and stuff like that.
All this high-falutin' technology has ruined us already. Don't worry about hill-hold, worry about not having to pick the proper spark advance to start your vehicle, climb a hill, cruise efficiently, etc.
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Re: Reversing on a Hill

Post by wannabe »

tankinbeans wrote:There would be a major code brown going if I had to try that.

My hill holder would be tested to its limit (both fore and aft), then I'd say fluff it and find a different spot. I know, naughty naughty for using the feature...but it's there and dammit I like it.
i attempted to park the escort on a hill, nose down, at one point in time. Even with the hand brake yanked as far as i could yank it it was trying to rear-end the car in front of me. I decided i wasn't comfortable leaving my car there, did my first (and last ever) heel toe clutch manuver and got the hell out of there, and ended up paying for a parking garage.
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Re: Reversing on a Hill

Post by potownrob »

wannabe wrote:
tankinbeans wrote:There would be a major code brown going if I had to try that.

My hill holder would be tested to its limit (both fore and aft), then I'd say fluff it and find a different spot. I know, naughty naughty for using the feature...but it's there and dammit I like it.
i attempted to park the escort on a hill, nose down, at one point in time. Even with the hand brake yanked as far as i could yank it it was trying to rear-end the car in front of me. I decided i wasn't comfortable leaving my car there, did my first (and last ever) heel toe clutch manuver and got the hell out of there, and ended up paying for a parking garage.
y u knot just leave it in gear?? :?:
ClutchFork wrote:...So I started carrying a stick of firewood with me and that became my parking brake.
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Re: Reversing on a Hill

Post by theholycow »

potownrob wrote:
wannabe wrote:i attempted to park the escort on a hill, nose down, at one point in time. Even with the hand brake yanked as far as i could yank it it was trying to rear-end the car in front of me. I decided i wasn't comfortable leaving my car there, did my first (and last ever) heel toe clutch manuver and got the hell out of there, and ended up paying for a parking garage.
y u knot just leave it in gear with the steering cranked and front wheel against the curb?? :?:
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