What are the hazards of car lugging?
2 Answers
The hazards of car lugging include the following: 1. Low gear with high (speed) lugging; high gear with low (speed) lugging. Neither type of lugging is a good phenomenon, as both can cause damage to the machine and increase fuel consumption. 2. Severe wear on the clutch disc; 3. Significant wear and tear on the transmission; 4. According to the engine's load characteristics, when the throttle opening is small, the engine load rate is low, and fuel consumption is high. 5. If the vehicle frequently operates in a lugging state, the clutch, transmission, drive shaft, differential, and other transmission components may suffer from continuous impacts, leading to premature damage and a shortened lifespan. Additionally, the noise produced during lugging can be unbearable for passengers. 6. When driving in a lugging state, if an emergency situation arises requiring immediate acceleration to overcome an obstacle, pressing the accelerator may not result in an immediate speed increase, potentially leading to a passive situation.
When I used to drive a manual transmission car, I often lugged the engine, and realized it caused many harms. Lugging means the engine RPM is too low while in a high gear, which over time puts excessive load on the engine and accelerates wear. Once when climbing a highway slope in too high a gear, the car suddenly shook violently and made alarming rattling noises, scaring me into quickly downshifting. Later at the repair shop, the mechanic said this puts undue stress on bearings and pistons, shortening engine life. Frequent occurrences also hurt fuel efficiency—increased consumption hits your wallet hard. Prevention is simple: shift gears to match RPM with road conditions, don’t be lazy. Developing good habits when learning to drive saves much trouble later.
