Hand operated clutches

[Jim G]

I’m just taking a poll to see if there is any interest from the 4x4 community in hand operated clutches.
I would appreciate any feedfback.
Thanks,
Jim Gray

 

[79k20350]

i have heard another guy ask about this, its too much work for any benefit that it may have. the only thing i can think of that might work is a motorcycle master cylinder and that doesnt have enough fluid volume to operate the clutch. what would the bennefit be other than freeing up your foot?

 

[sweetk30]

disabled person. = 1 idea

 

[Brocky]

I would fear for the clutch. To drive a standard is hard enough for some people. Example people who burn out clutches. A hand operated clutch would be hard to get use to, but if you want to research it, Look into the drag racing scene. I know them guys sometimes use them.

 

[sweetk30]

hard to get use to i was 10 or 11 when i got my atv and had the hand cluch mastered in 1 hour or less.

 

[Brocky]

On a motorcycle, atc, or atv sure. I use to have a 250R Honda 3wheeler. That was a fun machine. I just figure it would be hard to get use to in a truck.

 

[Jim G]

Hand operated clutch

They have been in Europe for over ten years, I have recently been importing them from Italy for the handicapped. That's what I do, I equip sports cars only for the handicapped. Alex Zanardi, past Indy car champ/Formula 1 driver lost both legs in a racing accident and is now using this equipment in his race car.I'm also working with Lance Magin ( factory Ford desert truck)to equip his racing truck.They are also used in rally cars in England, there is a rally club just for the handicapped.

The system is run from a potentiometer built into the shift know ( nice billet lever ) and runs an electric servomotor which operates the clutch pedal via s.s. cable. You you can program the system to be linear or non linear.
I will forward pics if your interested

 

[jhellwig]

Now how in the world do you plan on steering on a trail if you had both hands off the wheel to shift?


Now I could see more of a use for a hand throttle than anything.

 

[Jim G]

Now how in the world do you plan on steering on a trail if you had both hands off the wheel to shift?


Now I could see more of a use for a hand throttle than anything.

I don't get it, one hand on the wheel, left foot for the brake,right foot on the gas, right hand on the shifter & right index finger on the clutch. It works in race cars.

 

[Jim G]

Hand operated throttle

And by the way, I have steering wheel mounted throttle rings, all digital control mounted on linear bearings, very smooth.

 

[CyberSniper]

Eh...

In a truck, that you're either crawling in or throttling through muck... unless you've got full hydro you often need both hands while using the clutch just to steer. It's completely different than rally racing when men with 12 year old girls' arms whine about not having power steering when they throw a belt. The steering effort in such a vehicle is tremendous compared to say a rally car. We're talking about vehicles barely moving fully locked on high traction surfaces with a larger scrub radius than a rally car's tire diameter.

What is very usable in a offroad rig is a hand throttle. Those are pretty simple. You can use a solenoid on them to hold the butterflies open a bit or if it is injected you can use the idle air control valve.

 

[jhellwig]

I don't get it, one hand on the wheel, left foot for the brake,right foot on the gas, right hand on the shifter & right index finger on the clutch. It works in race cars.

Oh. My bad. That wasn't they style I though you were talking about. I was pictureing something along the lines of an old john deer tractor. Your idea is slightly more practical.