Speed limits, do they work as they should?

JHC

Chief assistant to the assistant chief
Absolutely teddy it all comes back to skills and the average driver to day does not rate very highly but, whichever way you approach it the basics are: a. If you have locked your front wheels, you lose steering control
b.The point of maximum deceleration is just before the point of wheel lock
I never have rusty Discs as I have to brake three times before I hit the main road, I do remember the first E type Jaguar that had power assisted steering "Rack and Pinion" I thought wtf a complete waste of time. I have changed my attitude to these things now. :cheers:
 

teddy

Duckmeister
The steering on my old BMW was very heavy without assistance but that gave me more control, not less.

teddy
 

JHC

Chief assistant to the assistant chief
There are a host of driver aids employed today that we take for granted the last and most difficult one for me to accept was Automatic transmission, being a sport car enthusiast I always had manual but now I would never go back to a manual box.
 

Dorsetmike

Member
I've never driven an auto, let alone owned one, could never see the point, just something else to cost more when it goes wrong.
 

JHC

Chief assistant to the assistant chief
I've never driven an auto, let alone owned one, could never see the point, just something else to cost more when it goes wrong.
To days Automatics very rarely go wrong mike, in fact you would be more likely to replace 3 or 4 clutches or plates before an auto needs repairs, I envisage that the clutch will be soon be obsolete just as a manual choke, trafficaters and window winders and for that matter carburetors, you see I am a man of to day not yesterday. :grin:
 

Dorsetmike

Member
I can't remember the last time I had clutch plates changed, probably in the mid 1990s when my 1962 Ford Classic had an engine and gearbox change as part of its restoration. Prior to that back in the 1960s I had one changed on an old banger.
 

teddy

Duckmeister
162,000 miles on the last BMW without a clutch change. The new auto boxes are very good and the automatic clutches also work a treat. Moving the gear lever engages a solenoid which operates the clutch. Not a new idea. I believe it was used more than 40 years ago but never caught on. However I still prefer a manual box. I expect if I was driving around London all day I would feel differently.
A few years ago I drove a 740 Volvo automatic Estate to Spain and back (round trip of 1,700 miles in a week) and by thye time I got back I hated it.

teddy
 
Last edited:

JHC

Chief assistant to the assistant chief
I have replaced many clutches and plates + master cylinders and slave cylinders add to that carbon thrust pads and bearing type thrusters and synchro units in the actual box and hydraulic hoses, the only thing that I have replaced in an Auto is the rear seal but you get that with a manual anyway. On the Z and Coupe the transmission is steptronic which means you can switch between auto and manual select.
 

teddy

Duckmeister
Still have not gotten around to driving one of the twin clutch setups. They are meant to be a revelation. Porsche, BMW etc etc. Would love to hear from someone who has.

teddy
 

Krummhorn

Administrator
Staff member
ADMINISTRATOR
I'll second the choice for manual shift car. I'm at 116,000 on my '04 Jetta and still on original clutch and original brakes.

I much prefer being able to select the gear for the different driving situations that I encounter. The last 'auto' I had was a '94 Pontiac TransSport - the tranny in it died at about 65k miles, even with routine servicing and easy driving.

Haven't heard about this twin clutch setup yet. I'll have to ask my son who is into all the tech stuff on cars.
 

JHC

Chief assistant to the assistant chief
Still have not gotten around to driving one of the twin clutch setups. They are meant to be a revelation. Porsche, BMW etc etc. Would love to hear from someone who has.

teddy
Well a bit off topic but my Vincent had two clutches the main one which was centrifugal (either in or out) the normal clutch of the day could not cope with the power that the Vincent produced, and a primary clutch (normal clutch and plate set up) that allowed a normal smooth take off. just a bit of useless information that you can tuck away for quiz night.
 

teddy

Duckmeister
Amazing what technology they had in those days. So you used the centrifugal clutch for gear changing and the other one for moving off?

teddy
 

JHC

Chief assistant to the assistant chief
Amazing what technology they had in those days. So you used the centrifugal clutch for gear changing and the other one for moving off?

teddy
Exactly, and the centrifugal clutch was a drum with two shoes very similar to a 'drum brake' and the more power you fed into it the more force was applied to the shoes pushing them out into the drum hence more grip, so simple.

Clutch-cpM002diagram.jpg
 
Last edited:

teddy

Duckmeister
I once rode a motor scooter with a centrifual clutch and variable gears, so no gear changing. Disconcerting if you were used to sitting on your bike reving up, because as soon as you did that it started to move.

teddy
 

JHC

Chief assistant to the assistant chief
My old ride on mower had variable gears a "Veebelt" running in a pulley one face of which moved in or out thus changing the radius.
 

teddy

Duckmeister
Hate it. DAF cars used that system. The revs could remain constant while the speed of the car changed. Most disconcerting. Several other makers tried it but it was not popular. Also belt wear tended to be high.

teddy
 

JHC

Chief assistant to the assistant chief
Yes Vee belts not so good for that kind of thing, Nearly got killed by a B!**#Y truck driver a couple of weeks or so ago still shaking, they are terrible drivers.
 

JHC

Chief assistant to the assistant chief
What happened Colin. I trust you did not swear at him?

teddy
Teddy it happened on my way home from Hamilton the last part of the journey is on narrow twisty country roads there is the odd passing lane and a few long straights where you can overtake if you have enough power. Any way 8pm and I was sandwiched between two truck and trailer rigs doing 85kph (90kph max speed for truck and trailers) they were huge and it was dark I just could not get past the front rig safely so was quite happy to wait my chance the rear of these trailers are awash with LED lights very bright so hard to see past, not the following rig suddenly he was overtaking me and started to cut in I was level with the back of his cab so there was still a lot of truck plus trailer to go, I had to brake hard or we would have been pushed off but he kept going and overtook the other rig absolute madness anything coming towards us would be history but he made it.
I eventually passed the one rig and caught up with the other following home @100kph remember his limit is 90kph, I called in at the local police station but they are not manned after hours so once home I phoned the police and made a formal complaint but not a prosecution complaint. The first time I have dobbed in another driver but man it really shook me up.
 

teddy

Duckmeister
Sounds like you are lucky to be alive Colin. Sometimes it does not matter how god a driver you are or what you are driving. There is always a moron around somewhere. I shopped a local kid and helped get him prosecuted not just because he habitually drove when drunk but also drove like an idiot. He regularly drove through the village at at least 50 MPH.

teddy
 
Top