Should You Depress the Clutch When Braking in a Manual Transmission Car?
2 Answers
Whether to depress the clutch when braking in a manual transmission car depends on the vehicle speed: 1. When the vehicle is moving at low speed and the intention is to bring it to a complete stop, the clutch should be depressed; 2. When the vehicle is moving at high speed and the intention is to reduce speed, it is not necessary to depress the clutch. Precautions for clutch usage include: 1. The clutch must be thoroughly cleaned before installation to remove anti-rust grease and debris; 2. The clutch can be installed coaxially or on separate shafts, but axial fixation is mandatory; 3. For wet-type electromagnetic clutches, lubrication oil must be added between the friction plates during operation; 4. The power supply and control circuits should provide a DC 24V power source to the clutch; 5. When installing a jaw-type electromagnetic clutch, ensure there is a certain gap between the end face teeth to prevent grinding when idling.
Whether to press the clutch when braking in a manual transmission car really depends on the situation. As someone who's driven stick shift for over a decade, I believe the key factor is vehicle speed. For instance, when driving on the highway and the car ahead suddenly brakes hard, I'd definitely stomp on the brake pedal immediately without touching the clutch, because the engine braking force helps with deceleration and keeps the car more stable. If the speed drops to about 30-40 km/h and I feel the engine starting to shudder, I'll immediately press the clutch to prevent stalling. In city traffic when crawling at snail's pace, I always press both clutch and brake simultaneously - this makes for much smoother control without that jerky motion. Special reminder for new drivers: never coast down long slopes with the clutch pressed, as it's equivalent to neutral gear and significantly increases braking distance, which is extremely dangerous. Just remember this rule: at high speeds, brake first then clutch; at low speeds, pressing both ensures stability.