The Student Room Group

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Reply 1
It is always a good idea to use engine breaking it gives you a lot more control in conditions were breaks are not suitable, e.g approaching a busy junction you can't simply break as you would be in too high a gear and the car will start juddering.

As for a clutch most seem to last 100,000 miles at least, I've ever know anybody to burn out a clutch unless they are boy racers or driving instructors.
Engine braking is good to use alongside hazard perception. My dad taught me to drop a gear i you see or anticipate a hazard. That way, being in a lower gear, you have more control of the car, if you need to swerve, you have the acceleration, if you have to brake, your car is less likely to run away from you on a hill, you have the acceleration to get through a tight bend safely, etc. Also, if you anticipate a hazard, just taking your foot off the accelerator will slow most people down by about 5mph, which just gives you that extra bit of time to react.

Use engine braking alongside braking. Changing from 4 to 3 sharply will jolt your examiner around and you will not score very highly in your test for cluch control, car control, etc. Also, don't switch to 1st unless you're stationary as it will jolt you about and can damage your gear box. Do it gradually(with brakes if needed) and controlled, because using engine braking doesn't use the brake lights, so someone close behind will more often thean not run up the back of you.

Also don't 'ride the clutch' this is where you don't fully take you foot off the clutch and engage it into a certain gear, but use engage the clutch constantly, because they aren't in the correct gear. You don't have the car control.

Sometimes, if I am in 4th and am about to stop at a junction I slow down into 2nd, and then lift clutch up a bit (engine braking?) to slow the car down, before stopping like normal.


Unless you're getting ready to roll straight out of the junction (if its clear and safe) there is no need to go down through all the gears, its a complete waste of time. I was taught to simply go from say 3 or 4 straight down to 2 or 1 once i'd slowed down sufficiently. What you're doing seems a bit unecessary and it sounds like you're riding the clutch which isn't good.
Reply 3
AT82

As for a clutch most seem to last 100,000 miles at least, I've ever know anybody to burn out a clutch unless they are boy racers or driving instructors.


What about drag racers? :wink:
I once burnt out a friction plate in 1 1/2 miles. :biggrin:

(or 6 runs... that'll teach me to fit cheap clutches :frown:)
Reply 4
Engine braking is good, it stops brake fade.
Reply 5
If you buy decent brake pads in the first place brake fade isnt a problem!
Reply 6
If you have standard braking it is.
AT82
It is always a good idea to use engine breaking it gives you a lot more control in conditions were breaks are not suitable, e.g approaching a busy junction you can't simply break as you would be in too high a gear and the car will start juddering.



if you are driving an austin A35 with all round drums, dynamo and crossplies...

you will generally find most modern cars will not start juddering in a high gear under no/ low throttle openings until you are virtually to the point of stopping and puttingthe clutch down ...

engine braking is not generally required in driving modern cat B and C1 vehicles other than down long hills or 'off road' etc

get an up to date copy of roadcraft if you don't believe me
Reply 8
So you are you tying to tell me a car a modern 1.1 car will run smoothly in 4th gear at 15mph?
Reply 9
If I try to go about 20mph in 4th gear, when you put your foot down the car judders. The car had a new clutch fitted a few months ago.

Some other cars (golf v5 for example) can do 20mph in 5th gear with no juddering but it has a bigger engine.
My 1.4 does, for what it's worth.
Reply 11
Yeh don't do that dave...its bad for the engine
At 20 mph my JTD would be doing 650 RPM. i.e. it would have stalled. You don't want to be anywhere near your idle RPM, if you are, you're in the wrong gear. Small petrol engines will handle it better due to having lower speed gearing.
davemarkey
If I try to go about 20mph in 4th gear, when you put your foot down the car judders. The car had a new clutch fitted a few months ago.

Some other cars (golf v5 for example) can do 20mph in 5th gear with no juddering but it has a bigger engine.


while you are braking ....

INFORMATION ,POSITION, SPEED, GEAR, ACCELERATION

once again
INFORMATION ,POSITION, SPEED, GEAR, ACCELERATION

note speed BEFORE gear ...

thousands of ADIs and emergency service drivers can't be wrong... can they?

many dads, uncles and grandads learnt on vehicles with drum brakes, narrow tyres (maybe even cross plies) rather than modern cars ...
davemarkey
If I try to go about 20mph in 4th gear, when you put your foot down the car judders. The car had a new clutch fitted a few months ago.

Some other cars (golf v5 for example) can do 20mph in 5th gear with no juddering but it has a bigger engine.


INFORMATION ,POSITION, SPEED, GEAR, ACCELERATION

once again

INFORMATION ,POSITION, SPEED, GEAR, ACCELERATION

here the gear is wrong if you are accelerating ...
Reply 15
zippyRN
if you are driving an austin A35 with all round drums, dynamo and crossplies...


How does the charging system affect braking power?
Reply 16
i do it regardless just a habit always aproach in 4th then down to 2nd
zippyRN


get an up to date copy of roadcraft if you don't believe me

Chapter 4, page 65.
I do believe if you read it you will see that it is fully supported by Road Craft for gradual variations in speed when brakes are not required, on slippery surfaces and long descents.

:wink:
pghstochaj
Chapter 4, page 65.
I do believe if you read it you will see that it is fully supported by Road Craft for gradual variations in speed when breaks are not required, on slippery surfaces and long descents.

:wink:


fits in with 'special cases' rather than being taught as THE approach to slowing down as was taught in the days of crossplies, dynamos and drum brakes ...

from my earlier post :

zippyRN
engine braking is not generally required in driving modern cat B and C1 vehicles other than down long hills or 'off road' etc
Reply 19
again, how does a dynamo affect braking!

Furthermore, there is nothing wrong with drum brakes in combination with front disks. Front brakes take up most of the effort anyway.
I have substantially updated and improved the efficiency of my MGB front braking system whilst having to fit smaller slave cylinders at the rear to prevent the drums locking up on STANDARD pads!

Rear disk brakes are not neccesary untill you start getting into big power.