Two Driving Habits That Stress Your Manual Transmission
It's not always easy to change habits, whether they are good or bad. Some driving habits, however, cause unnecessary wear and tear on your car, so it is well worth the effort to attempt to correct them.
Driving a manual transmission is a science, and it is easy to fall into bad habits without even realising it. Following are a couple of tips on what not to do when driving so you can best look after your car.
If you have any concerns about your transmission, make sure to have it checked by a transmission service to prevent any problems escalating.
Riding The Clutch
After changing gears, you should remove your foot from the clutch pedal completely. Even lightly resting your foot on the clutch causes excessive wear on the clutch plate.
A car moves as power transfers from the engine to the driveshaft and wheels. In a manual transmission, the power of the engine transfers to the driveshaft via the clutch plate. As you press the clutch pedal when driving, the clutch plate disengages from the flywheel so that the power generated by the engine disconnects from the driveshaft and wheels. Once you release the clutch pedal, the clutch plate fully engages with the flywheel and power transfers to your car's wheels.
When you ride the clutch by even exerting slight pressure on the clutch pedal, this means that the clutch plate partially disengages from the flywheel, and the full power of the engine does not transmit to the driveshaft. The clutch plate is slipping to some degree against the flywheel rather than fully engaging, and this friction causes unnecessary wear and tear.
While you may need to ride the clutch in a way when reversing or travelling at slow speeds when parking, for example, it is bad practice for everyday driving conditions.
Driving Closely To The Car In Front
Driving in traffic and constantly changing gears is tough on your clutch. If you drive too close to the car in front, this can force you to change gears more frequently. Leaving a bit more distance will allow you to drive more continuously without having to change gears as often, and this reduces unnecessary wear.
If you have developed either of these habits, it is well worth the effort to eliminate them. You will be looking after your car better and protecting it from premature wear and tear. Having a regular transmission service is also important to keep your car running at its optimum.
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