In my humble this device has no place in a lorry, which should at all times be under the full control of a competent driver utilising the secondary brake as and when necessary.
Its fitted to cars, which are increasingly wheeled washing machines (and about as interesting), to enable the increasing number of hopeless owners manage to perform those unbelievably complicated events, hill starts.
I switch the thing off and if it was my choice they would all be disabled in a commercial vehicle.
I know however that some lorry drivers like it and use it.
I don’t use it in my premium cos the auto box clutch control is so perfect. It doesn’t even need a hill hold button IMO. I can go straight from the foot brake to the accelerator without the truck rolling back.
However when I had my Actros, I used it all the time on that. Made hill starts so much better.
It takes the brake off at the exact moment that the engine and driveline start to provide forward motion. No matter how good a driver you are, using the secondary brake only when doing a hill start can’t result in less clutch wear, only more.
damoq:
I don’t use it in my premium cos the auto box clutch control is so perfect. It doesn’t even need a hill hold button IMO. I can go straight from the foot brake to the accelerator without the truck rolling back.
However when I had my Actros, I used it all the time on that. Made hill starts so much better.
I’ll second that. When I drove an Actros with one of them clutch thingys I found it brilliant. As long as you had the clutch dipped the brakes would remain on, and with the Merc to set off regardless of weight you merely lifted the clutch and the computer sorted the engine revs out.
It came as a surprise when I first drove an auto though and used the hill start and after a couple of seconds it released! Never used it since as I can’t see the use of it with an auto tbh. Other makes of vehicle may differ of course.
I use it on DAF XF. Didn’t trust it for a start but used to it now.
Have to keep up with modern technology you know.
Remember to switch it back on after turning ignition off.
I’ve always found ‘normal’ hill starts far easier in a wagon than a car - just hold the wagon on the secondary notch on the park brake, wait until the revs dip as the clutch takes up drive (manual box or I-shift), let the park brake off and away. A lot more straightforward than using a cars’ handbrake.
disgo:
I use it on DAF XF. Didn’t trust it for a start but used to it now.
Have to keep up with modern technology you know.
Remember to switch it back on after turning ignition off.
I may sound thick here, but can you always have the button pressed in, or can you only engage it when your setting off on a steep hill?
disgo:
I use it on DAF XF. Didn’t trust it for a start but used to it now.
Have to keep up with modern technology you know.
Remember to switch it back on after turning ignition off.
I may sound thick here, but can you always have the button pressed in, or can you only engage it when your setting off on a steep hill?
Renault switches itself off once your speed goes above 25kph meaning you need to turn it on almost every time you want to use it.
DAF switches itself off once the ignition is turned off.
Old Actros and Stralis stays on permanently unless you turn it off yourself.
Don’t know about others.
switchlogic:
It gets on my ■■■■. Stays switched off in my lorry. Pretty much a redundant gadget in a Volvo anyway.
In what way don’t you like it then Luke? I too drive a Volvo and find it very easy to use and very useful.
Just dont like that moment before it releases, I want it to just go! The ishift is so good I think its not needed personally, Ive done some pretty serious hill starts and never even slightly rolled back without it.
I leave it on but rarely ever use it. Hill starts are hardly hard though are they. Only time I turn it off is when reversing down hill as it’s a pain in the arse.
I use it in my truck and have no problems with it.
Just got a new VW Golf GTD too and that’s got it fitted too,brilliant piece of kit,works well with the electronic handbrake.
Lucy:
In my current MAN I use it because I’ve short arms and have to lean down out of my seat to reach the handbrake…
Probably makes it go better, since the clutch bite point on them is so unpredictable well on the autos they are, don’t even know if they do manual MANs lol.
