When driving a stick car?

leblongeezer

Pressing the clutch when braking is NOT the correct way to slow or stop manual transmission (stick shift) vehicles. When you do it, you are needlessly not using the "motor brake" effect (the braking that the motor does just buy taking your foot off the throtle) and adding extra load on your breaking system.

The extra load on the brakes has three effects. You wear off the pads and/or shoes faster, which means more frequent replacements. The second effect is what is refered to as "fading", and is only an issue when driving downhill for lenghty periods of time and with several curves that require constant braking or in a race track situation. The problem comes from overheating the pads, which produces tiny glass crystalls on its surface and reduces tramatically the efficiency of the system. The brake "fades" away and this is undesired for obvious reasons. So using the motor as an aid and avoiding those "one long brakings" on downhills (without giving the brake a break to allow them to cool down is the correct thing to do. The third effect has to do with the power of the brake relative to the tire/track friction. If a car without ABS does not lock the wheels when the brake is presed down full force, this means that there is still some extra "stoping power" that could have been used.

The total stopping power available is the weakest link in the chain brakes-wheels-track. Typically, very heavy vehicles (like trucks) have more friction between the tires and tracks than the brakes can use (and most vehicles have more in the fron tires than the back). This means that, when stopping under good enough road conditions, using the engine can reduce your stopping distance.

Well, that is the basics. Now for some details. Of course you should press the clutch just as the motors starts to stall. If you down shift (once or more) as you brake, you can get extra help. This is easy to do in a downhill situation, in which you can foresee the braking moments, but very hard to do in emergency stops. Personally, I like to downshift from 5th to 3rd and, if the traffic slows down a lot, to 2nd. When doing this, you have to heed of two things: if you do it to roughly, the wheels can lock and if you don't have the two ends of the clutch at aproximately the same speed, you overwork it and have basically the same effecs (1 and 2) I mentioned above, but on the clutch itself. A way to avoid this is slightly reving up the engine as you relieve the clutch in downshifts (much easier said then done).

As that woman above said, it comes down to experience. If you have a place you can practice these techniques (specially emergency braking and NOT pressing the clutch untill needed), under different conditions (dry and wet), it may prove to pay off someday. When I was learning to drive, I used to stop at an empty parking lot before going home late at night after partying and practice under different situations (dry, wet, D.U.I. lol) until braking became a second nature (including relieving the brakes on non ABS vehicles). I can tell you that for me it has payed off more than several times.

There are a lot of other things that I am forgetting or just to lazy to mention, but this is a start.

Keighan

no, you only need the clutch when shifting or coming to a complete stop, and the car only stahls when the rpm drop to o while the car is still in gear.

naddel

you only need to press the clultch all the way down if you are coming to a complete stop. If you only slowing down you don't need to. I drive stick since years.

If you are going to use the clutch, then you should always press it all the way down. You are either going to shift gears or not. If you are not shifting gears, or stopping, then you should not be "riding the clutch". That can burn out the clutch and you will have to replace it.

Ron U

dont even hit the brak just hit the brake well dont hit it push it gently the car will stall after it goes be low 2000 rpms or for people who dont know the lil 2 on the thing that goes up and down when u hit the gas

Stacy C

No, only you can tell when it will stall, listen to the car.

michael c

Only need to push in the clutch when coming to a complete stop, unless you are slowing down to the point of having to downshift.

dcg42bowler

You need to do trial and error to feel how the clutch works in your car. Some clutches are tighter than others and will respond sooner with the slightest push from your foot. Others will need you to press further down to get the desired result. Good Luck.

El Bastard Sanchez

no need when only braking slightly. You need to get to a low speed before stall out

monie99701

the only time you need that clutch is if you are stopping, starting, or you need to change gears... so if you are only slightly brakeing then no ... unless of course you slow down enuf that you need a lower gear.. and this you will definately know by the sound of your engine

elk312

It's been a long time since I've driven stick but if I remember correctly, you don't need to press the clutch all the way down unless you are making a complete stop. The engine will stall if you brake all the way and don't clutch.

kelliekareen

You have to push the clutch in when you brake or it will stall. Get into the habit of using your brake and clutch at the same time. Always push the clutch to the floor.Some cars wont start until it is pushed to the floor.

DigitalGhost

You almost have to be at a complete stop without the clutch engaged before the engine will stall.
Practice makes perfect. Practice, practice, practice!!!

yooperpooper

when braking slightly, no, not if your speed was up to begin with. you will feel the car bucking if it is about to stall. either push the clutch in the whole way or not at all, otherwise it will slip and will wear quickly

Y-Knot

no, you can brake without depressing the clutch at all. The engine shouldn't stall until you get down below 10 mph or so. The only reason you would have to clutch when braking is if you need to stop completely, or if you need to switch gears in order to keep going forward.

wil_t52

yes, when the car dies

lydlykarug

You don't HAVE to engage the clutch completely, but if you get in the habit of slipping the clutch like that-you'll be replacing it ALOT faster than you can imagine! When your car is about to stall, you can tell by an unmistakable bucking motion of the vehicle! lol

JuvenileP101

when your at normal speed you dont need to put the clutch in. when if your really going slow like about lower than 10 mph or when your going to make a complete stop. also when you going to go over humps or just moving very slowly.

elderstuart

It's good to listen to the engine, if it sounds like it is choking , or if the car starts to get jumpy because you're going to slow it's best to fully depress the clutch. if the engine is still purring and you're rolling smoothly you do not need to fully depress the clutch. only partly depressing the clutch, "riding the clutch", can be harmful to it and will cause the clutch to wear out faster.

Me-She

It actually ALL depends on the vehicle, the terrain, the weather, the rate of speed, & the individual driver! This is where EXPERIENCE is the best teacher. In order to learn HOW to operate your vehicle correctly, the driver must be able to recognize the engine sounds & the rate of the rpm of the motor. In other GET TO KNOW YOUR CAR & WHAT WORKS BEST TO RUN THE ENGINE IN THE LEAST RESTRICTIVE MANNER! This means that you shouldn't have the music cranked up until you understand the noises of your vehicle because if you can't hear the engine & gear sounds, then you won't know when to brake, clutch & release in ANY gear! The engine stalls when the clutch disengages BEFORE the engine has been able to burn off the fuel in the cylinder & dispose of the vapors. This is why you NEED to learn how to "juggle" your 3 pedals in unison. First, you release the gas pedal, then apply the brake pedal, then use your clutch pedal at the same time as you are applying either the brake OR gas pedal in a rhythmic pattern that does not allow your engine to get too much OR too little gas, thus avoiding STALLING the engine. ONE pedal goes IN as another ONE goes OUT! For some reason, NO ONE TEACHES THIS METHOD & many people just don't get it. You aren't alone.

cdfrx

If you are an inexperienced driver then I would say yes, every time you hit the brake, definitely hit the clutch. Push the clutch all the way in or you will "burn" it out. As you learn more there are times when you can use the brake slightly without the clutch.
Be patent it just takes time to learn. Good luck.

tonalc1

You can brake slightly, and if you don't fall below the speed range for the gear you're in, you don't need to shift (and thus don't need to depress the clutch).

nikkoj1975

When driving a stick car, it's best to be a stick man...

thor_24

Depends on how fast the car is going and in which gear you are in. I personally like to let the engine slow itself down by down-shifting around corners and such.
The engine stalls if it doesn't get enough gas for the amount of strain put on it. In my 2 seater convertible it would be just under idle (800 RPM or so).
It won't hurt a (newer) car to hit the brakes with the clutch out, just be careful and listen/feel what is going on. Older cars have syncros in the tranny that wear out with time and stress.

john n

You don't have to touch the clutch if you are only braking slightly. You only need to use the clutch if you are coming to a full stop or you are changing gears. If you want to reduce your speed you can down shift (go into a lower numbered gear) to accomplish that without using the brake.This is a good skill to learn as it makes winter driving easier.

cliffb52

You have to press down on the clutch enough for it to disengauge or, like you mentioned, the car will stall. You'll get the feel for it the longer you drive stick. That's really the best solution to your question.

Just a guy

yes. you should press the clutch fully any time that you need to brake. Any time that you apply slight pressure to a clutch without putting it down all the way you cause unnecessary slipage of the clutch which could make it go out quicker. You should reserve the slight pressure movement for just the initial take off.

jim

it is something you have to feel, you can brake without hitting clutch at all sometimes and maintain the gear.

in due time you will get the feel for clutch to the point you dont even think about it.

about pushing the clutch all the way down. I never have to on my saturn. half way at most but your car's clutch may be different. like i said, in due time you will know what to do without even thinking about it.

Darlene H

Yes, you always have to engage the clutch when you brake, no matter how hard or light of a brake. The engine will stall if the clutch is not engaged when braking.

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