Texan1Z06

First, let me say I love my C5Z. I love the raw feeling, the style, the performance and rowing thru the gears.

It is not a dd. I drive it 2, maybe 3 times per week to work(40 miles round t.). Most of the time it is an enjoyable experience. Sometimes though, I feel like it is becoming a chore to shift/clutch and it's causing some slight knee tenderness/pain while using the clutch pedal.

I'm 37, fit, 6'1 200lbs,have good knees (no previous ACL/MCL injury or the like), work out alot--running, jogging, tennis, raquetball, occasional basketball -----sometimes I get tender joints from this and the clutch brings about a tender feeling/pain.

Right now, my dd is a g35 sedan and I'm thinking of an LS3, Auto, z51 or MRC, with NPP like the HZ vette I rented last year.

I know some of you will say manual all the way until you're in a wheelchair and auto is for old folks and is boring...but that HZ vette was fun and fast as hell and more suited for dd (in case I sell my Gsedan).

I'm not planning on selling until perhps a year or 2 from now. I've had the vette for about 8 months now.

I'd like to know if anyone here has knee pain that is either caused by the clutch or perhaps the clutch just aggravates an existing knee pain/issue. You can comment on your age if you want as that helps us understand your answer better. Also indicate whether you get no knee pain, but are perhaps getting tired of shifting. Is your z06 a dd?

(btw, I do have the spring assist on the clutch pedal and don't feel that the pedal is heavy and I do NOT sit at lights with the clutch pedal depressed and in first gear waiting on the light to turn)
I think its too bad that the c6z is not offered in manumatic as the 911 Turbo has that option.

Not my first manual transmission---I drove a mustang GT, 5 sp as a daily driver for about 4 yrs and it had a heavy azz clutch pedal and I would get knee pain from that from age 26 to age 30.

Thanks for your comments.

MTPZ06

I'm 38, 6'3" 250lbs, former college linebacker...and still stay active by exercising 6 days a week. Having said that; I don't have good knees, and my C5Z gives me no discomfort. It's not a DD...strictly a weekend car. I actually think the clutch is soft in comparison to other cars I've driven. Back in the day, I had a mustange 5.0, and that clutch was a pain in the ***. After practice or a game, my leg would tremble if I held the clutch in at the light. Are you the original owner? Is your clutch stock?

ptindall

Suprising to hear someone so young and health would get pain from such a light clutch. The one in my DD 4 banger Isuzu pickup is so much stiffer that when I get into the Corvette I wind up slamming the pedal to the floor a couple times until I get recalibrated. Sorry to hear of your issue. That sucks.

SCM_Crash

My left knee hurts now and then when I walk on it, but almost never feel anything bad while I'm driving. Very odd, actually. Only once have I felt any pain while driving, but it was in the gas peddle knee. LOL

vant

33 here, never owned an automatic in my life, daily drive the Z, no knee pain. The only time I ever had knee pain was when I drove my truck in bumper-to-bumper traffic for 24 hours straight. That was in Houston during Hurricane Rita in '05. Word of advice, if you ever evacuate for a hurricane, leave very early or don't leave at all.

winters97gt

I have the same issue since my spec 3 clutch. I'm 27 and I consider myself to be in extremely good shape. I've had 2 full operations on my left ankle to repair it from football, so I am wondering if the wear is starting to catch up with the knee. I don't feel it on my morning runs, just after I get out of driving the car in traffic during extended periods.

Larry Gonzalez

I'm 39 years young, and drive the C5Z about 4 to 5 times a week on average, I don't have any issues with my knees but do get tire specially when i get stuck in traffic, I also was of the mindset that if one owns a proper sports car it should be manual, but have also learned as I have gotten older, my body dictates more what and how I do things than what my mind thinks I should, LOL, I call it signs of maturity....

Millennium_Z

Are you resting your foot foot/leg in a particular place? You can also try adjusting your posture in the seat (although there's very little room for this in the Corvette).

I'm 24, 6' and in good shape and exercise as well. However, I was used to driving my Hyundai and Mustang and for the first week of driving the Z I started having knee issues. It wasn't painful, just an annoying tight feeling. I drive the car every day as well (to/from work and on the weekends).

I moved the seat up and down etc until I found a good sitting position and then made sure I wasn't sliding down in the seat and that solved my issue. The previous position was causing my knee to get stuck slightly odd angle which apparently aggrevated it.

brkntrxn

I had ACL reconstruction on my left knee about 11 years ago (they let the torn LCL supposedly repair itself). Coming from a heavy cable clutch in our Cobras, the light hydraulic clutch in the Z06 never bothers me, not even on a full track weekend.

What does bother me in any car or flying in a plane or sitting at my desk at work is to have my knee bent for long periods of time. In the Z06, what I do at highway speeds is slide my left foot past the clutch pedal so I can straighten my leg. This helps tremendously and I am glad the Z06 has the room past the pedals to do this.


-Kevin

2K3Z06

I just hope the C7 has a dual clutch transmission, for the reasons stated above. My legs are banged up from the motorcycle days back in the 80's.

ls2alex

i have no pain and i dd mine basically everyday. im only 20 tho and in very good shape

halp

I'm 68 and love driving mine. I use it 2 or 3 times a week. On weekends we go at least 100 miles round trip. Sometimes in traffic my leg gets tired but luckily no knee pain. Maybe your sitting to close, try adjusting the seat to different positions possibly higher so your knee is at a different angle. The paddle shift is nice, but you'll miss the stick

KCvetteowner

You could look at the Tick Adjustable master cylinder. I have trouble driving a stock Corvette since I switched. The release point is just off the ground so there is much less pedal travel which could be part of your pain issue. The Tick did make it a little stiffer but like I said, it's a much shorter press/release you're doing with your leg. Also, try moving the seat forward. Your elbows should be near your sides when you drive, your arms should not be stretched all the way out. Changing the position should also change your leg position and perhaps it won't ache as much.

Finally , take fish oil pills which lubricate your joints and should help minimize your joint pain.

Z06 Pack

The clutch on my Z feels like sticking my foot threw jello after driving my dad's god damn terminator.

Texan1Z06

Thanks everyone for your replies--very helpful!! I think I will just manage it. I did not drive it today and I missed her like a mother f'er. The G is nice and silky and easy, but I don't ever really "miss" her.


ha, ha.



Thanks, but I think I'll keep it as is regarding the master cylinder. I have been meaning to get fish oil pills for 2 yrs now, lol. I will do that this weekend. Also, I do drink plenty of water daily--at least 2 liters and occasional aspirin (or non-aspirin pain reliever) to recover from hard work outs--which helps with joint lubrication, relief.



Yes, I will miss the stick, but I may just suck it up and deal with it. I will look into seating position again.



I wish I had a z at your age, but I might not have made it to 21



Me too on the C7



I agree with having the knee bent for long periods in a car or plane is no good. Wow, ACL surgery That's why I'm glad I cut down on basketball...



I do use the dead peddle and that helps. I am very particular on the seat back angle--don't like the rapper lean and I'm not an airbag surfer. I also feel the seat bottom height and distance is good. Having said that I will take a look at this again.



I know exactly what you are talking about.



I know what you mean. The plan for me was to keep this car 4 yrs and then buy a c6z and drive that for 5 yrs and then buy a c7z preowned etc etc--but I may have to alter that. It's not so much that I can't handle it or that it is painful now. It is just ever so slightly tender and I wonder hmmm, maybe in 10 yrs it will be real intermitten pain and stiffness and then at 57 I do the "funny" old man limp--no offense to anyone. I just am trying to enjoy the vette, but looking down the road a few years at how my joints will feel........



I was in that evacuating myself, we ended up turning off of I-10 West and headed to CC, TX to my parents while EVERYONE was still going West and NW and North on my dads advice--he called me on the cell. It took us 5 hrs to go like 20 miles--no contra-flow at that time and to top it off a big azz crewcab truck hit our midsize SUV at 10 mph and luckily he gave us his info and his ins. company paid for it. Very bad decision to hit I-10. Should of left for CC from the get go via 59.



I occasionally get that walking on the stairs after a hard work out the day before.



not the original owner, but the car is 100% stock and so the clutch is most likely too. I know the leg tremble you speak of all too well...I used the mustang gt as a field sales vehicle for 2 of the 4 yrs



It's not quite pain yet, but more of a tenderness and my knees have improved since cutting pickup baskeball down from 10 hrs a week to 1 hour a month about 1 yr ago

RomanC

I drive a 96 Subaru or the '04 Z to the work in LA traffic (both are manual). I find that driving the Z is a lot easier as you can shift less often. 1st 3rd, 1st 3rd, repeat Once in a while I get to sixth at a whopping 40mph

Edit: One thing which I noticed when driving friends cars, they like to sit much closer to the pedals than I do. I set to my seat so that at full leg extension the clutch is depressed. If I sit much closer than my knees/ankles start to tense up.

1REDZED

Texan, there are alot of good replies in this thread. Just to share with you.
Nearing 50 years of age, and a long work history in heavy industry I seem to be in great shape. But a few vehicles do this to me.

I could be fine all day and week long, but I used to jump on a fork lift from time to time.
For whatever reason the almost chair like posture, with the ankle manipulation of the pedals. I would at times immediately get off in excruciating knee pain. Like my knee caps were being pulled off. THAT BAD!

My dd 4Runner, I have to keep a bean bag in the vehicle. I use it to support my outter right knee, to keep the knee straight (vertically inline) with the gas pedal. Otherwise the leg subtley falls outward towards the tranny tunnel causing me knee pain on the interior side of my knee.

The Vette, mama's Subaru. Nothing, no problems.

I guess my two cents worth is perhaps just the angle of our postures in different vehicles doesn't agree with our bodies.

My advice while you have the stick shift... If you find a sweet spot, make sure you press the "memory button" for seat position.

WarpedZ06

Check up for degenerative miniscus in order.

Texan1Z06

I'm not quite at full extension, but close. Certainly more extended than before (since my recent adjustment) Thx!


Thx, I did find a more comfortable position and hit the memory!


slow your roll Doogie I googled that and I don't have that but I will keep those symptoms in mind. I read about a 26 yr old marathoner that had that and could not walk or run/ride a bike without being in horrid pain

________________________________________ ________________________________________ __


I drove the vette today with an adjusted posture and I felt no pain or tenderness during or after the drive. My seat is now a tad bit further back allowing my clutch leg to be a bit straighter but not too much such that I can't work the pedal properly. I think as long as it's not a dd I will be good.

Thanks again. Btw, this f'ing car is so much fun to drive and row the gears--I just can't get rid of her---well, unless its for another z06

Just got to practice restraint as she is so eager to run

1REDZED

Texan, I may sound like your mother- but you have to drink water too! Does the body good.