And go far enough back, those brakes were mechanical and/or non-self-adjusting. Before most of our times I am sure.
Coasting to a stop vs down shifting to a stop in manual transmissions
- Thread starter ram_man
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Check some rear brake discs on some of the recently made, say, from 2018 till now, HYBRID or EV's. Last one I looked at down here at the grocery store was rusted solid! I'd have to venture that is a result of coasting or downshifting. And much more pronounced in hybrids due to the regenerative braking effect.
Not that you're ever going to stop "fully" by downshifting.
Anyway, it's all nonsense. Brakes are made for stopping, clutches are made for shifting gears. How you use them and enjoy your driving style is more important.
Not that you're ever going to stop "fully" by downshifting.
Anyway, it's all nonsense. Brakes are made for stopping, clutches are made for shifting gears. How you use them and enjoy your driving style is more important.
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This is exactly what I do when driving a manual (if it's a car I own, that would only be my Saturn SL). If I'm on a main road and get up over 45 mph or so, I usually shift into 5th gear. If I see a light turn red up ahead, I'll leave it in 5th gear, or whatever gear I'm already in, and coast up to the light as much as possible depending on the traffic in front of me. I'll let it get down to 1200 rpm's or so and then shift into neutral when I get close to the light or the vehicle in front of me and then brake the rest of the way. I try to downshift as little as possible unless I'm on a steep downgrade. I think the PCM on the Saturn actually shuts off the injectors when no throttle is applied and the car is in gear (i.e., one's foot is taken off the gas) so very little to no fuel is being consumed during that time. That would slightly improve gas mileage over simply putting the car in neutral and letting it coast, because then the engine would need to idle.
Basically what I do but I drop it in second (clutch in) as I get slowed down if I think I may go...same basic idea. Rev-match downshifting to every light has no purpose but to make sure everyone knows how rad you are for driving a stick.
Dunno. I'm used to equipment and trucks so I guess it's different for drivers that only run small stuff.
On the water tanker I ran last summer, it was heating the brakes even with me running gears and engine brake.
Tank would overflow when filling and wet the drive brakes and steam up the place.
On the water tanker I ran last summer, it was heating the brakes even with me running gears and engine brake.
Tank would overflow when filling and wet the drive brakes and steam up the place.
Have you ever seen Packard Brakes? The drums are 14” in diameter. I have to get them turned at a shop that handles trucks. Ordinary brake lathes are too small.
No I haven't, actually. I just picked one of the makes with the largest cars from the 20s and 30s.
Off topic, but is your Packard pre-hydraulic?
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I’ll take a picture when I’m next down in the shop. I have a spare set. The car weighs about 4,500 lbs. The brakes are massive.
A similar vintage Ford Model A had drum brakes about 8” across, but just like an AMG of today, Packard brakes were much bigger than those of ordinary cars.
Now, adjusting a set of Bendix 3 shoe brakes from that era was an art, but once properly adjusted, they were quite effective. The 3 shoe design lent mechanical power assistance well before vacuum boosters and hydraulics were common. The design is quite clever.
That definitly deserves it's own thread. Pics for sure
I downshift all the time and finally had to change the clutch on my Accent at 188k miles. The clutch disc was barely worn but the throw out bearing was worn where it ride on the shaft. The grease dried out and it got where it would not shift when hot due to binding.
So the wearing out he clutch thing due to downshifting is a myth.
So the wearing out he clutch thing due to downshifting is a myth.
None of it really matters as far as wear and tear. People like to worry about silly stuff sometimes.
But as far as coasting vs downshifting it depends on the situation. If I know I will come to a stop, I usually coast, but if the traffic is slowing down, or the situation on the road seems unpredictable in some way, I downshift to be in a proper gear.
But as far as coasting vs downshifting it depends on the situation. If I know I will come to a stop, I usually coast, but if the traffic is slowing down, or the situation on the road seems unpredictable in some way, I downshift to be in a proper gear.
Clutch wear happens only when your foot is on the clutch pedal, pressing or releasing or resting your foot on it (ugh). Otherwise the plates are engaged and there is no movement of the friction parts.
About deceleration, for city driving (45 MPH or less) I get off the accelerator and let engine compression (and brakes if needed) slow the vehicle until idle speed is achieved and then glide the shifter into neutral without any need to touch the clutch pedal. Super easy.
From highway speeds, I will do the same thing but include one downshift to either 4th or 3rd halfway through the decel process. I might do a rev match depending on my mood LOL.
About deceleration, for city driving (45 MPH or less) I get off the accelerator and let engine compression (and brakes if needed) slow the vehicle until idle speed is achieved and then glide the shifter into neutral without any need to touch the clutch pedal. Super easy.
From highway speeds, I will do the same thing but include one downshift to either 4th or 3rd halfway through the decel process. I might do a rev match depending on my mood LOL.
What would be different between front and back of the gears? If they have no trouble being loaded on one side there will be no trouble on the other.
As far as engine vacuum and pulling the oil, that only happens when the rings are stuck/partially stuck. If they are free, the extra vacuum helps to pull the rings in the opposite direction, and that in turn helps them to stay free and sealing properly.
Exactly my thoughts as well. I engine brake every time I slow down on all 3 of my manual cars (two Civics and an Acura Legend) and it doesn't seem to affect my oil consumption at all. My worst oil burner (the 05 Civic) burns about a quart every 6K miles whether I engine brake or not. I don't engine brake overly aggressively though, usually only to about 3-4K RPM if that.
I can see how regular engine braking would help keep the rings free though. I remember reading at least one thread on here several years ago about engines in manual transmission cars generally outlasting the same engines in automatic cars and one of the main theories was that the engine braking helped keep the rings free. I'll see if I can find that thread
Edit: I found one of them. https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/t...when-connected-to-manual-transmissions.52828/
It was his choice to no longer participate.
What’s your favorite pattern when replacing carrier bearings using the existing ring and pinion? How do you keep your roller bearings in the cluster gear when reassembling a manual transmission? Are you evaluating both piston skirt sides and not just the trust side during an engine overhaul? Do you know why I’m asking these questions?
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Deceleration in a manual using engine compression for breaking would be very little pressure opposed to what the cluster gear would see on cruising or moderate acceleration. Just like on a R&P gearset. The thrust surface always shows more wear than the coast side, by a large margin.
To me downshifting every time only adds excessive wear to syncros (especially 2nd gear) and wear on clutch. I downshift instead of riding breaks on a long downhill if I need to reduce speed. However usually just stay in gear and slow to just above idle RPM, using the brakes if needed.
This is a first generation (28 spline) Ford 9" and a late 70s Ford toploader overdrive I rebuilt a few years ago.
To me downshifting every time only adds excessive wear to syncros (especially 2nd gear) and wear on clutch. I downshift instead of riding breaks on a long downhill if I need to reduce speed. However usually just stay in gear and slow to just above idle RPM, using the brakes if needed.
This is a first generation (28 spline) Ford 9" and a late 70s Ford toploader overdrive I rebuilt a few years ago.
EOC uses the least fuel
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