Clutch, When at a red light do you wait in neutral or in gear?

Neither one! My last tractor was an auto shift without a clutch!

 

Neutral! Unless unavoidable or its a very very short light. When I was learning to drive bitd that was an automatic slap on the wrist. Most guys didn't even rest their foot on the clutch. "Hard on the throw out bearing!" i remember that vividly from my 1st boss. Plus it puts pressure on the thrust bearing of the crank. I won't even depress the clutch when starting and l see tons of guys doing it young and old. I've had clutch linkage break twice in my life. Both times after the fact I've thought "thank God it didn't happen with the clutch in at a light or traffic etc"

 

Agreed. If you pay attention, there's no need to panic.....watch the lights.....by now you should have a pretty good idea when they're going to change. No need in wearing out the clutch and your left leg.

 

Sorry about that really!

 

Use common sense.

At a long light, neutral. At a short light, in gear. It's all about being aware and paying attention to the light cycles, traffic flow, etc. If you're paying attention, you're watching crosswalk signals, as well as the traffic signals for cross traffic. When you see them changing, then you select your gear so as to be ready to go when it's your turn.

 

IF I actually have to come to a complete stop before it turns green, I'm in neutral, foot off the clutch.

 

Neutral. Always. Unless light is about to turn shortly.
Would be points against you on a road test if you sat on the clutch.
And never ride the clutch to hold the truck on a hill.

 

The last place I worked ran tankers, and they used the Eaton Autoshift transmission, which for those that may not remember, was an Autoshift with a clutch pedal.

During the recruitment process, I'd expressed some concern about this, as I'd never driven one. The recruiter, who I later found out had previously been a vacum cleaner salesman, began to sell me on the Autoshift.

The greatest lie he told me?

"They're really nice in traffic, you don't have to constantly push the clutch in!"

########! The one I ended up running had a clutch brake that needed adjusted. Coming down 95 one day from Connecticut, I get to the Cross Bronx and traffic is stopped. It took me about 45 minutes to get across the George Washington bridge. Nearly the entire time, I held the clutch in. Tried neutral once, and I discovered how hostile New Yorkers can be.

I still have pain in my left knee, and I blame that truck for it. And I nearly klled that salesman once I got home that day.

Nowadays, I'm in neutral at lights, and watching the opposing lights.

 

You know this is asking a lot!

 

Almost failed my road test in '83. had it neutral for longer than usual and the DOT guy ,said if had left it there the whole light it's an automatic fail.

Not having your vehicle under control while in the travel lanes of highway.

Only local drivers will know how long a light is.

and yes ,riding the clutch is rookie a move.