Clutch cable failure

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Wed 29 Jan 2003 14:28
Clutch cable failure - Mental Mike
What would happen if the clutch cable where to fail while the clutch is being used? I was thinking this the other day when I was holding my car, with the clutch, for a lollypop lady. Would the car have jumped forward or would it just have rolled back?
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Wed 29 Jan 2003 18:16
Clutch cable failure - Dynamic Dave
Would the car have jumped forward or would it just have rolled back?


That would depend whether you were in 1st or reverse gear?
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Wed 29 Jan 2003 18:21
Clutch cable failure - Andrew-T
Fairly clearly, the car would do what it normally does when you release the pedal - only quicker. Not good news for the lollipop lady, I should think. The only time it has happened to me, I was changing gear at about 40 mph on the A49, luckily on a gentle downhill, so I could knock the car out of gear, pick a spot, coast onto the verge and wait for the RAC man.
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Thu 30 Jan 2003 02:08
Clutch cable failure - Dave_TD
Generally they don't fail when the pedal is already pressed down, they fail at the moment you press the pedal(IYKWIM). ie you go to press the clutch pedal, loud bang, pedal goes to the floor, clutch stays engaged. And there's normally plenty of warning for a few days or weeks beforehand.(clutch action becomes heavier, biting point changes dramatically)
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Thu 30 Jan 2003 14:05
Clutch cable failure - Cliff Pope
As an aside to the main thread, you get a whole new angle on motoring if you complete your journey with no clutch. (Either through necessity or stupidity, I know)
You start to anticipate hazzards, judge your approach to things better, be very cautious about building up too much inappropriate speed but also try to maintain it on hills etc.
It does not make for relaxing driving, but you learn a lot about road craft, and engine and gearbox characteristics.
I once drove an old Sierra from Leicester to Pembrokeshire with no clutch, and got quite good at clutchless changes.
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