Today I think I heard Da Bruddas tell a guy to drive up to a huge old tree and mash on the gas to see how the clutch worked.That would do horrible damage to the tree’s skin. The pressure could cause a deep bruise, and introduce decay like an incurable gangrene. Scary! Not to mention the damage to the roots from driving on them.
The tree might rot out totally and fall on you when you are on your way to the bar. Not good. In the future, please recommend using immovable objects that are NOT living beings. We understand that you guys meant no harm, and appreciate your kind consideration of trees in the future.
People for Ethical TREEtment, convenes in Boston next week at the New England Grows trade show and conference. We might have to march down to your offices next Friday, recruiting a few Ents from Middle Earth along the way, so we can begin disarmament negotiations between cars and trees. Does 1 p.m. work for you guys?
Guy Meilleur, ISA Board-Certified Master Arborist,
Founder, People for Ethical TREEtment
As an almost fellow tree hugger who lives in the woods, I couldn’t agree more. What’s wrong with using the parking brake. I’ve always done that to test a clutch. It works, as well as giving you a way of testing the brake. I don’t believe in mistreating trees this way either. Not because of the more ethical reasons you have, but I find they have a way of getting back at you at the most inopportune times. They’re bigger, stronger, have more time on their hands and plan well.
You can test a clutch just by driving. If it slips in the higher gears, it is going bad! You might save it by making an adjustment but if you continue slipping it, it won’t last long.
Yep, I agree. Clutch slipping on the highway in top gear will be noticeable hundreds of miles before it goes out completely, at least if the driver takes it easy and doesn’t let it keep slipping too much. I certainly was able to drive home from Pennsylvania to Virginia (a good 300 to 400 miles) after I noticed some clutch slipping in high gear.
This tree method the guys always suggest seems like a guaranteed way to ensure the clutch is destroyed if it’s getting close to worn out. And, then you have to get towed to the shop. If you notice some slipping in top gear you can still drive to the shop.
I’d agree with driving it on the highway until someone suggested a even safer method than flooring it on the highway with other people around. Flooring it in 1st gear in an empty parking lot while standing on the brake would subject the clutch to the peak torque of the engine at a much lower speed. Provided that the brakes are good, the engine should slow down with the car.