8 ms·

You maintain better control of the vehicle if you leave the clutch engaged and engine brake instead of slowing down with it disengaged and using the actual brak

You maintain better control of the vehicle if you leave the clutch engaged and engine brake instead of slowing down with it disengaged and using the actual brakes. It may not seem that way to inexperienced manual drivers, but once you've driven a manual in traffic a few times you learn that engine braking is safer and more precise. Also, on a large, heavy vehicle with a manual transmission, you can get in trouble with misjudging braking time/distance if you only rely on the brakes to slow down and stop. When I have a full load in my pickup (1982 C10) I have no choice but to engine brake as the wheel brakes lose more stopping distance the heavier the load, not to mention it keeps them from overheating and failing early over time.

CWuestefeld 10y ago
This makes particular sense for a pickup. When unloaded the truck's weight balance significantly skewed toward the front, allowing for less traction in the back, and so you need to rely on the front wheels more for braking. When you're loaded, that's sitting more-or-less over the rear axle, increasing traction there. So you can afford to rely more on the rear (driven) wheels with engine braking in addition to the conventional brake balance that's biased to the front.
crznp 10y ago
Cars are designed so that you stop the car by pressing the brake pedal, so that is generally the better way to do it. * 4-wheel braking, even if it is a 2wd car. * ABS/Traction control systems are designed around brakes, not engine braking. * Regenerative braking (if equipped) uses the brake pedal * There is a smooth application of braking power from 80mph to 0mph. Engine braking is indexed (I can only choose which gear), and cannot bring the car to a complete stop. * The limiting factor with brakes is traction, which isn't improved by using engine braking. * Using the brake pedal is a single action. Engine braking involves at least 3 (clutch in, shift, clutch out). * Brakes are cheaper to replace than clutch/transmission. * Engine braking alone does not activate brake lights. The only exception is when there is a danger that the brakes will overheat: descending a large hill or hauling a heavy load. The default instinct should be the brake pedal alone.
- morganvachon 10y ago
  > Cars are designed so that you stop the car by pressing the brake pedal, so that is generally the better way to do it. I wasn't speaking of coming to a complete stop, only of slowing down with the flow of traffic. I should have worded it better, I'm sorry. > Using the brake pedal is a single action. Engine braking involves at least 3 (clutch in, shift, clutch out). But if you're already downshifting while slowing down, which you should be, it's actually not extra effort. It's completely natural. > Brakes are cheaper to replace than clutch/transmission. That entirely depends on the vehicle and the type of clutch. In my extensive experience (I repair cars on the side, and have done so my entire adult life) the parts themselves often cost about the same. For example, when restoring my Bronco II I bought a clutch kit for $150 and a full set of front brake rotors, pads, and new calipers for about $200. On my Crown Victoria, which was formerly a police vehicle and therefore has the upgraded heavy duty disc brakes on all four wheels, a shop quoted me $700 for a brake job. The parts alone were $350 through them. Of course I saved a ton by doing it myself, but most people can't or won't do that. The labor for a clutch swap versus a brake job is, again, dependent on the complexity of the vehicle. Most manuals still in use in the US are older model cars, with relatively easy to replace clutch parts. > The only exception is when...hauling a heavy load. Which I specifically spoke of. :-) > The default instinct should be the brake pedal alone. In an automatic, yes. In a manual, only when needing to stop suddenly or when you've downshifted to 2nd or 1st and you're stopping altogether.
- Too 10y ago
  Engine braking does activate brake lights on modern cars. So does throwing an anchor behind your car. Deceleration is included in the algorithm.
toomanybeersies 10y ago
I tend to engine brake except in circumstances where I actually need more braking power. Especially with hilly driving, it gives you a lot more control when slowing down, and you can accelerate straight away since your foot is still on the accelerator pedal. There's nothing worse than being stuck behind a driver (usually a tourist) in a hilly area who is riding the brakes all the way down.

CWuestefeld 10y ago

This makes particular sense for a pickup. When unloaded the truck's weight balance significantly skewed toward the front, allowing for less traction in the back, and so you need to rely on the front wheels more for braking. When you're loaded, that's sitting more-or-less over the rear axle, increasing traction there. So you can afford to rely more on the rear (driven) wheels with engine braking in addition to the conventional brake balance that's biased to the front.

crznp 10y ago

Cars are designed so that you stop the car by pressing the brake pedal, so that is generally the better way to do it. * 4-wheel braking, even if it is a 2wd car. * ABS/Traction control systems are designed around brakes, not engine braking. * Regenerative braking (if equipped) uses the brake pedal * There is a smooth application of braking power from 80mph to 0mph. Engine braking is indexed (I can only choose which gear), and cannot bring the car to a complete stop. * The limiting factor with brakes is traction, which isn't improved by using engine braking. * Using the brake pedal is a single action. Engine braking involves at least 3 (clutch in, shift, clutch out). * Brakes are cheaper to replace than clutch/transmission. * Engine braking alone does not activate brake lights. The only exception is when there is a danger that the brakes will overheat: descending a large hill or hauling a heavy load. The default instinct should be the brake pedal alone.

morganvachon 10y ago
> Cars are designed so that you stop the car by pressing the brake pedal, so that is generally the better way to do it. I wasn't speaking of coming to a complete stop, only of slowing down with the flow of traffic. I should have worded it better, I'm sorry. > Using the brake pedal is a single action. Engine braking involves at least 3 (clutch in, shift, clutch out). But if you're already downshifting while slowing down, which you should be, it's actually not extra effort. It's completely natural. > Brakes are cheaper to replace than clutch/transmission. That entirely depends on the vehicle and the type of clutch. In my extensive experience (I repair cars on the side, and have done so my entire adult life) the parts themselves often cost about the same. For example, when restoring my Bronco II I bought a clutch kit for $150 and a full set of front brake rotors, pads, and new calipers for about $200. On my Crown Victoria, which was formerly a police vehicle and therefore has the upgraded heavy duty disc brakes on all four wheels, a shop quoted me $700 for a brake job. The parts alone were $350 through them. Of course I saved a ton by doing it myself, but most people can't or won't do that. The labor for a clutch swap versus a brake job is, again, dependent on the complexity of the vehicle. Most manuals still in use in the US are older model cars, with relatively easy to replace clutch parts. > The only exception is when...hauling a heavy load. Which I specifically spoke of. :-) > The default instinct should be the brake pedal alone. In an automatic, yes. In a manual, only when needing to stop suddenly or when you've downshifted to 2nd or 1st and you're stopping altogether.
Too 10y ago
Engine braking does activate brake lights on modern cars. So does throwing an anchor behind your car. Deceleration is included in the algorithm.

toomanybeersies 10y ago

I tend to engine brake except in circumstances where I actually need more braking power. Especially with hilly driving, it gives you a lot more control when slowing down, and you can accelerate straight away since your foot is still on the accelerator pedal. There's nothing worse than being stuck behind a driver (usually a tourist) in a hilly area who is riding the brakes all the way down.