Uberoo Posted September 8, 2007 Share Posted September 8, 2007 Theres an 84 Gl coupe I might buy.Its 4x4 with hi/lo 4 speed.Only problem other than asetics is they say the clutch is blown.It could just need to be adjusted,but whatever.Its in ford washington so about 2 hours and 40 minutes acording to map quest.Im thinking I could drive it down (mostly freeway) by rev matching and starting in 1st.And trying to stay out of towns...I think I could bring a towbar up just in case(I wouldnt really want to try to drive in towns with no clutch) Assuming I can keep it in 4th just about all of the way would it be doable? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted September 8, 2007 Share Posted September 8, 2007 How is it blown? If the disc disintigrated then the engine will freewheel. If the PP fingers are toast or the cable snapped then you can drive it just fine. I've driven my lifted wagon with no clutch. Start the engine in 1st and just rev match your gears. Once you get to the freeway it's no trouble at all. GD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reveeen Posted September 8, 2007 Share Posted September 8, 2007 For the want of a $7 trailer coupler, a bit of iron, a chain, and a binder, tow the thing home. Driving home a clutchless car with no insurance is dumb, and could end up quite costly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uberoo Posted September 8, 2007 Author Share Posted September 8, 2007 They say that it just got harder and harder to shift,and then it wouldnt go into gear with the car running(I imagine they dont know to to rev match...) AND she said she had the title and started reading it and she said "84 subaru 2dr "HB".I wonder what that could be? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uberoo Posted September 8, 2007 Author Share Posted September 8, 2007 For the want of a $7 trailer coupler, a bit of iron, a chain, and a binder, tow the thing home.Driving home a clutchless car with no insurance is dumb, and could end up quite costly. yea your probally right... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted September 8, 2007 Share Posted September 8, 2007 Most insurance policies cover cars automatically that have been "just purchased". As for it being dangerous - you could certainly make a case for that I suppose. But as long as you take it slow, don't do it durring heavy traffic (late at night is best), and turn on the hazards you should be fine. Tow-strapping a car is dangerous too - but I've done it dozens of times without incident. GD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reveeen Posted September 8, 2007 Share Posted September 8, 2007 Most insurance policies cover cars automatically that have been "just purchased". Usually 15 days. But, we have to remember this "young fella" has been carless for a while, and I'd be willing to bet he is not the "primary" on the policy. (I was talking about knocking together a quick tow bar) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted September 8, 2007 Share Posted September 8, 2007 But, we have to remember this "young fella" has been carless for a while, and I'd be willing to bet he is not the "primary" on the policy. Hmmm - yes very important to have the insurance square. That can straight ruin your life if you don't make sure it's proper. Talk to the primary if you aren't it and have them confirm details with the agent. It's also only $40 to rent a dolly from U-Haul..... GD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
75subie Posted September 8, 2007 Share Posted September 8, 2007 i've done all the suggestions mentioned here, and although they all work, the penalties are just too costly now for me. i love tow bars, especially the old u-haul type where you don`t need to make any kind of brackets, they just strap right on. tow ropes are ok, but you really need to trust the other driver, and know his or her abilities, it always helps to slide a pipe over the rope. by far, your best bet would be to barrow or rent a tow dolly and save yourself some trouble. rev matching is possible, but its really a pain in the neck, especially on a long ride like that. if you know the road and where the hills are (if there are any) you have to know to get your speed up, as you won`t be downshifting with no clutch. i'd rather pay $35-50 for renting a dolly, and the piece of mind that its all legal, nothing to worry about, and its safe without having to do any fancy shifting. or if you think you are real slick with your rev matching skills go right ahead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted September 8, 2007 Share Posted September 8, 2007 if you know the road and where the hills are (if there are any) you have to know to get your speed up, as you won`t be downshifting with no clutch. I can downshift without it. You just have to double-clutch. Transmissions didn't always have syncro's young-un! :-\ GD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
75subie Posted September 8, 2007 Share Posted September 8, 2007 good for you as i've never been able to do it with the clutchless cars i've driven. just got a bunch of grinding and ended up loosing enough speed to where i had to stop and restart. :-\ either way, i've only done it a few times. if its an emergency, and you needed to get home, i could see it, but if its because you are buying something with a bad clutch, and have time to go another route, i would.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uberoo Posted September 8, 2007 Author Share Posted September 8, 2007 I was carless for a while but the cars were still on the insurance policy.I have a new daily driver now its time for a need 4x4...I have a buddy with a towbar.I could either use his truck or my moms suburban...I was just exercising my options as I would rather not pay the gas to drive a v8 automatic fullsize up there... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy FitzGibbon Posted September 8, 2007 Share Posted September 8, 2007 You can shift to any gear you want to with no clutch. As GD says, just match engine speed to transmission speed (same reason a d/r will shift in and out of 4WD hi without using the clutch). Using the tach and knowing what speed the engine should be running to get into the next gear helps, but is not necessary. Even though my cars have clutches I shift all the time without using them- I don't know why, but I've done it on every vehicle I've ever owned. It's kind of nice when I'm in my Ford pickup on a long trip, because the pedal travel in that is about three miles and my leg gets tired. Synchronizers in modern transmissions make clutchless shifting a lot easier, but it's still possible without them. Make sure it's insured- other than that, I'd drive it home without the clutch, as long as something else isn't going to break on the way Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slopchoppy1 Posted September 9, 2007 Share Posted September 9, 2007 I drove my 91 loyale for a few months without a clutch. I was just going back and forth to work. It was a 30 mile drive, but there were no stops, hills or traffic. It was a little tough to downshift, but I managed to get the hang of it. Last year I traded it in towards a new Baja, and had to drive in the traffic in Tallahassee to get to the dealer. It was a real hassle there, because of all the stops and some pretty steep hills. The guy that had to look at the car to give me a trade value, couldn't get it out of the parking lot. They still gave me $300 for the car, and it had 275,000 miles on it. I probably put about 5,000 miles on it without the clutch. A guy I work with kept asking how the starter was holding up, but I never had a problem. Then 2 weeks after I traded the loyale, the started in my Brat died. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flowmastered87GL Posted September 9, 2007 Share Posted September 9, 2007 I can downshift without it. You just have to double-clutch. Transmissions didn't always have syncro's young-un! :-\ GD I drive a freightliner.... when the exhaust brakes are on, gotta double clutch. When its empty though... clutch... who needs a stinking clutch just float the gears Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zyewdall Posted September 9, 2007 Share Posted September 9, 2007 They say that it just got harder and harder to shift,and then it wouldnt go into gear with the car running(I imagine they dont know to to rev match...) AND she said she had the title and started reading it and she said "84 subaru 2dr "HB".I wonder what that could be? Sounds like a stretching clutch cable. 5 minute to tighten it up a bit and you'll be good as new.... my '82 wagon had to be re-adjusted ever month because the clutch stopped working. Finally just bought a new cable. If that's what's happening, even if you don't adjust it, it'll disengage enough to shift 1st through 4th. It'll just have to be started in 1st gear (with the clutch pedal in to keep it from lurching quite as much, as it'll still be partly disengaged). Z Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Durania Posted September 9, 2007 Share Posted September 9, 2007 It's also only $40 to rent a dolly from U-Haul..... GD If it was me, I would go this route. Would be a whole lot less stressful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hatchsub Posted September 9, 2007 Share Posted September 9, 2007 Um may be a dumb question but how do you rev match if your clutch doesnt work? Ive always wondered about this. I can rev-match and downshift super smooth but thats using the clutch. How in the world do you do it with no clutch. Just in the off case i need to know this info for the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zebisko Posted September 9, 2007 Share Posted September 9, 2007 Take the trans out of gear, rev to the correct RPM, put into appropriate gear. Easier than shifting with a clutch...on paper. If the syncros are good, no problem, I used to drive like that all the time, as I would get lazy. If you don't have good syncros, or syncros at all, it will be a bit tough, but not that hard. Problem is city driving is quite difficult, but as long as you plan ahead it isn't difficult, and I don't quite see the safety issue, either. You can quite easily take a car out of gear without a clutch, I rarely ever use a clutch when I am braking, unless to downshift. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonas Posted September 9, 2007 Share Posted September 9, 2007 I drive a freightliner.... when the exhaust brakes are on, gotta double clutch. When its empty though... clutch... who needs a stinking clutch just float the gears you drive a freightliner? i'm sorry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted September 9, 2007 Share Posted September 9, 2007 The old story of you can get anywhere you want to get to get in 3rd gear applies (car will start in 3rd but wont be a smooth start), but you wont get there very fast. I have broken a cluthc cable and driven 20 miles that way (not highway) by careful timing. The car would only power shift 2-3 so it took alot of practice (and that i got). ON the highway, you could get away with it, but really tow it home, its easier on the stomach. nipper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daeron Posted September 10, 2007 Share Posted September 10, 2007 i've done all the suggestions mentioned here, and although they all work, the penalties are just too costly now for me. i love tow bars, especially the old u-haul type where you don`t need to make any kind of brackets, they just strap right on. tow ropes are ok, but you really need to trust the other driver, and know his or her abilities, it always helps to slide a pipe over the rope. +1, but why the pipe? thats a new one on me... I was also thinking that tightening the clutch cable might get you fixed up... but pay cash, and get a signed title before you fix ANYTHING or else you might find the price going up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
75subie Posted September 10, 2007 Share Posted September 10, 2007 just think about it for a few seconds, having the pipe over the rope or chain will prevent you from hitting the towing car with the towee car. heres a very crude drawing of what i mean: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted September 10, 2007 Share Posted September 10, 2007 just think about it for a few seconds, having the pipe over the rope or chain will prevent you from hitting the towing car with the towee car. heres a very crude drawing of what i mean: Well as long as the tow car doesnt have airbags we always used a spare unmounted tire as a bumper. Just go to uhaul and rent a tow bar nipper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
75subie Posted September 10, 2007 Share Posted September 10, 2007 a tire will work too, but i always liked the pipe better, never had any ill effects. u-haul no longer carries the rental tow bars, they used to have them for sale after they stopped renting them, but i searched for one all over and they were all gone. now they sell new units like the harbor frieght type where you have to use your imagination to attach it. for anyone who is going to start buying and selling cars, or switches cars alot, just go out and buy a used dolly. i picked one up for $300 a while back, and it has been very handy and low maintainence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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