Is it necessary to depress the clutch when shifting gears?
3 Answers
Shifting gears requires depressing the clutch. Below is more information about the clutch: 1. Functions: (1) Gradually increases the driving force of the car, allowing for a smooth start; (2) Temporarily separates the engine and transmission for gear shifting; (3) Prevents overload of the transmission system; (4) Reduces torsional vibration impact from the engine, extending the lifespan of transmission gears. 2. Structure: The friction clutch is the most widely used type, typically consisting of four parts: the driving part, driven part, pressing mechanism, and operating mechanism. 3. Working principle: It is generally divided into the engaged state and disengaged state of the clutch. The flywheel is fixed to the crankshaft, and the pressure plate is fixed to the flywheel, with the clutch disc sandwiched in between. Normally, the clutch disc is tightly pressed by the pressure plate, and as long as the engine is running, power is continuously output to the transmission (neutral gear). When shifting gears, depressing the clutch causes the pressure plate to separate, cutting off power output.
As a seasoned manual transmission driver with ten years of experience, I deeply understand the role of the clutch. Pressing the clutch when shifting gears is like hitting the pause button during a blind date, preventing the gears from clashing forcefully. The internal gears of the transmission need to temporarily disconnect power to engage smoothly. If you're lazy and force the gear without pressing the clutch, the grating sound of metal friction is painful to hear, and over time, it will surely ruin the synchronizer. Once, I tried coasting in neutral while shifting gears downhill, and the transmission temperature immediately shot up to red. So, for the sake of your car's longevity, always press the clutch fully when shifting—don’t copy those flashy moves from street racing movies.
I deal with transmission disassembly and repairs every day at the auto repair shop. Let me be clear: you must press the clutch when shifting gears! The principle is simple - when the engine flywheel and main drive gear are rotating at high speeds, failing to disengage the power will wear out the synchronizer rings. It's like trying to forcibly mesh two electric fans blowing against each other - of course they'll clash! What old-school drivers call 'clutchless shifting' is only barely possible under very specific conditions, like shifting into third gear at 35 km/h or when the RPMs are perfectly matched. But beginners should never attempt this - just one gear clash could cost thousands to replace the entire gear set. Regularly checking the clutch pedal free play is also crucial.
