When to Depress the Clutch When Braking in 5th Gear?

[DelRowan]

When braking in 5th gear, you need to depress the clutch when the speed drops to a relatively low range of 40-50 mph. How to depress the clutch: The most common practice is to observe whether the speed is within the controllable range, such as around 40 mph, which is generally within the controllable range. The controllable range refers to the period when the braking effect is most noticeable. For example, when driving at 100 or 80 mph, the braking distance is longer, and you might feel like the brakes aren't effective enough. However, once the speed drops to 40 mph, you can fully control the speed with the brakes, which is the controllable range. At this point, you can depress the clutch and the brake without significantly affecting the braking distance. Do not depress the clutch too early when braking: When braking to reduce speed, if the engine speed is above 1,300 rpm, it is in a fuel-cut state. During this process, the engine does not output power but is instead dragged by the drivetrain. Therefore, the engine provides braking force rather than traction. This is why it's often said not to shift to neutral or depress the clutch too early when braking.