duetto owner Posted April 19, 2013 Share Posted April 19, 2013 will be moving soon the home is on a hill and the driveway is very steep dip down. our transit is RWD would be better to drive in or reverse or no difference will be like a steep hill start each time i start. [in a very quiet dead end rd] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wooie Posted April 19, 2013 Share Posted April 19, 2013 Put some money on one side for regular replacement of the clutch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archiesgrandad Posted April 19, 2013 Share Posted April 19, 2013 I would reverse on as that will give better traction to drive off. AGD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowie Posted April 19, 2013 Share Posted April 19, 2013 Archiesgrandad - 2013-04-19 8:38 PM I would reverse on as that will give better traction to drive off. AGD And I'd prefer to drive forwards uphill and onto highway, cheers alan b Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spospe Posted April 19, 2013 Share Posted April 19, 2013 We have a Duetto on a MK 7 Transit and our parking is also steep and we have to reverse out onto a 1 in 8 hill round a 90 degree bend. I have always driven in and reversed out: no problem (6 years with this van and 7 years with a previous Duetto on a MK 5 Transit). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WildBill Posted April 19, 2013 Share Posted April 19, 2013 We have a very steep drive. I find it better driving up forwards to save the clutch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike88 Posted April 19, 2013 Share Posted April 19, 2013 In my Duetto I reversed onto the drive but that was because it was easier to access the sliding door. Also I used ramps as it was difficult tinkering and loading/ unloading the van on a steep incline. My current van - a Fiat - grounds on my drive in the step/exhaust area so I have bought Airrides to overcome the problem. The Duetto is higher so that problem didn't exist with that van. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duetto owner Posted April 20, 2013 Author Share Posted April 20, 2013 thanks everyone for tips. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted April 21, 2013 Share Posted April 21, 2013 Logically, if your Duetto's reverse-gear ratio were lower than its 1st-gear ratio, there might be some advantage in driving in forwards and reversing out. In practice, it's commonplace for reverse to be higher than 1st but, in any case, vehicles are optimised for being driven forwards and drivers are much more competent driving forwards rather than backwards (both factors that became very apparent during the X250 'juddering' fiasco). Unless (as is spospe's case) you HAVE to reverse out of your driveway, you best bet, technically, would be to reverse in and drive out forwards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brambles Posted April 21, 2013 Share Posted April 21, 2013 ..big bungee cord across your gate posts, reverse back. To exit release handbrake....whoosh back on the main road in an instant. (^) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted April 21, 2013 Share Posted April 21, 2013 Derek Uzzell - 2013-04-21 8:53 AM..........Unless (as is spospe's case) you HAVE to reverse out of your driveway, you best bet, technically, would be to reverse in and drive out forwards. Plus, you should find it much easier to control the van while reversing down hill, meaning you should only need to use the brakes, than trying to reverse out up-hill and into the road, where you would need to flip between clutch, accelerator, brakes, and handbrake, as you check for pedestrians, the neighbours dog, the postman, children - and their toys - and possibly that delivery van that wasn't there when you started! The bungee idea is excellent, and should work equally well whether reversing out or driving forward. Personally, I would favour reversing in, as the squarer rear of the van should ensure the bungee doesn't slip off at a critical moment. This would also allow more tension to be applied to the bungee, for a really meteoric exit! :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ips Posted April 21, 2013 Share Posted April 21, 2013 Reverse on drive out to save clutch and because of rwd traction would presumably be better that way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docted Posted April 21, 2013 Share Posted April 21, 2013 I am just surprised nobody has quoted the Highway Code yet so I will. Rule 177 "When using a driveway reverse in and drive out if you can" :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brambles Posted April 21, 2013 Share Posted April 21, 2013 docted - 2013-04-21 4:29 PM I am just surprised nobody has quoted the Highway Code yet so I will. Rule 177 "When using a driveway reverse in and drive out if you can" :D That i because it is rule 201 "Do not reverse from a side road into a main road. When using a driveway, reverse in and drive out if you can." The optimum words being "If you can". But, as everyone else has realised reversing out would be nuts as gearing is not so good, traction would be better if drivimng out up hill as RWD, and as another poster has mentioned visibility of straying kids etc is a risk. So no need to go as far as mentioninhg the highway code. Bungee cord is the best solution so far. And if the postman delivers an unwanted parcel then you can pull it back on the cord like a catapult and fire it back at him. It is also useful for ejecting unwanted visitors such as double glazing salesmen. :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted April 22, 2013 Share Posted April 22, 2013 An annotated version of the Highway Code is here: http://www.highwaycode.info/highway-code/introduction As David's new home is located "in a very quiet dead end road", the first part of Rule 201's advice won't apply. In principle (particularly with a RWD vehicle) reversing into a steeply dipped driveway should be preferable to driving in: in practice it may not. It's rather like asking whether Kama Sutra Position 27 is preferable to Position 28 - only trying each will establish their relative merits. David will rapidly find whether reverse-in/forwards-out is better than forwards-in/reverse-out when he moves house and tries both (that's parking his Duetto, incidentally, not Kama Sutra experimentation). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted April 22, 2013 Share Posted April 22, 2013 I won't even look at a property that is not on a flatish plot with resonable access, another non negotiable is a south facing garden....just get a JCB in and sort it out :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinhood Posted April 22, 2013 Share Posted April 22, 2013 JudgeMental - 2013-04-22 9:28 AM I won't even look at a property that is not on a flatish plot with resonable access, other non negotiables are a south facing garden and it being in Germany....I just get a JCB in and bring it back:D ......quite right too! ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted April 22, 2013 Share Posted April 22, 2013 Robinhood - 2013-04-22 10:22 AM JudgeMental - 2013-04-22 9:28 AM I won't even look at a property that is not on a flatish plot with resonable access, other non negotiables are a south facing garden and it being in Germany....I just get a JCB in and bring it back:D ......quite right too! ;-) Naw.... if you had said Italy maybe.....Cant stand German food *-) Funny though, as we have thought about a German or Scandinavian kit home, even american but they are as s**te as UK houses when you look into it.... :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike88 Posted April 22, 2013 Share Posted April 22, 2013 JudgeMental - 2013-04-22 9:28 AM I won't even look at a property that is not on a flatish plot with resonable access, another non negotiable is a south facing garden....just get a JCB in and sort it out :D A flatish plot is ideal but near impossible to find in some areas such as Devon where I Iive but the compensation is wonderful sea views from my armchair and all rooms in the house. JCBs are not an option for many properties because of the drop from the road to the drive. I do agree with the south facing and access points though and would add that I would not look at a property where I couldn't park my motorhome on my drive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted April 22, 2013 Share Posted April 22, 2013 Mike88 - 2013-04-22 12:01 PM JudgeMental - 2013-04-22 9:28 AM I won't even look at a property that is not on a flatish plot with resonable access, another non negotiable is a south facing garden....just get a JCB in and sort it out :D A flatish plot is ideal but near impossible to find in some areas such as Devon where I Iive but the compensation is wonderful sea views from my armchair and all rooms in the house. JCBs are not an option for many properties because of the drop from the road to the drive. I do agree with the south facing and access points though and would add that I would not look at a property where I couldn't park my motorhome on my drive. a lot of wasted time saved using "street view" and being able to bird view a property on your PC from home these days.......Thinking of moving next year but will only move to a cycling friendly area as if terrain to hilly I wont enjoy it. Happy to downsize but there are limits :-D JCB was a joke, but I dug out a large hardstand at back next to garage for the camper...so a bit of thinking can always help Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyishuk Posted April 22, 2013 Share Posted April 22, 2013 I think I would park with the oil draining towards the rear of the gearbox, than towards the clutch. Rgds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennyhb Posted April 22, 2013 Share Posted April 22, 2013 tonyishuk - 2013-04-22 5:47 PM I think I would park with the oil draining towards the rear of the gearbox, than towards the clutch. Rgds Going to have to be a wide drive then :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyishuk Posted April 22, 2013 Share Posted April 22, 2013 I saw RWD and assumed it were traditional engine, gear box and twirly rod down to an axle :D Rgds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted April 23, 2013 Share Posted April 23, 2013 tonyishuk - 2013-04-22 6:48 PM I saw RWD and assumed it were traditional engine, gear box and twirly rod down to an axle :D Rgds As you rightly say, all Duettos are RWD with a longitudinal arrangement of motor, gearbox, prop-shaft and live rear-axle. I can appreciate your thinking regarding the gearbox oil level but, if parking 'nose down' is likely to present a risk of oil in the gearbox somehow entering the bell-housing and getting on to the clutch, David's driveway is likely to be ski-jump sloping. If the slope were that extreme, consideration would also need to be given to the battery's electrolyte leaking and (whichever way he parked) he'd need a rocket booster to get out not just a bungee cord. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted April 23, 2013 Share Posted April 23, 2013 Derek Uzzell - 2013-04-23 9:29 AM...............If the slope were that extreme, consideration would also need to be given to the battery's electrolyte leaking and (whichever way he parked) he'd need a rocket booster to get out not just a bungee cord. Now you're talking! :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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