I’m sure you’ll agree with me that most vehicles with a manual transmission usually pack a clutch consisting of friction discs. These friction discs are there to help the vehicles to run smoothly, especially when the clutch is engaged. However, you need to understand that they aren’t without their issues.
For instance, the disc can wear out quickly because the clutch is usually subjected to constant friction. Normally, most car clutches are engineered to last about 60,000 miles before replacing them with a new one. However, as a result of poor handling of the clutch, some might end up only lasting 10,000 miles.
For instance, holding the clutch down is an example of a bad driving habit. Doing that while driving could lead to “coasting.” Coasting will not entirely damage your car clutch. However, it’s worth noting that it can wear out one of the components of the clutch, called the throw-out bearing.
What effect does holding the clutch down have on the clutch and the car? Find out the answer to this frequently asked question and a few others as you read through the rest of this post.
Does holding the clutch down damage it?
Before going ahead to address this question, it’s important to understand what “holding the clutch down” means.
So, what does it mean when you hold your car clutch down?
A clutch is a simple mechanical device on your car. It’s engineered to either engage or disengage your vehicle’s power transmission from the driving shaft to the driven shaft.
When you “hold down the clutch,” of your car, here’s what will happen; the connection that exists between the transmission and the wheels will automatically be disengaged. When this happens for too long, it’ll put a stop to the transfer of engine power to the wheels. With that, it means you’re only coasting your car.
Coasting is a driving process that occurs when the car is moving but not driven by the car engine. This process usually occurs as a result of holding down the clutch or when the gear stick is in a neutral position.
Back to the question above; does holding the clutch down damage it? Not really; the driving act of coasting your car will most likely not cause any significant damage to your clutch. It can, however, cause the throw-out bearing of the clutch to wear out.
What is a throw-out bearing and what happens if it wears out?
The throwout bearing is one of the components of the automotive clutch system. It is primarily designed to disengage the engine (temporarily) from the manual transmission during the shifting of gear.
Furthermore, the throwout bearing works by coming in between the clutch pressure plate and the non-moving clutch fork. It sends a linear thrust force from the pedal to the clutch pressure plate, which is usually bolted to the flywheel.
That said, if the throwout bearing wears out, it’ll make it pretty difficult for you to disengage the engine temporarily from the manual transmission. Yes, you’ll find it impossible to press down on the clutch to shift or change gears. The indirect effect of that is; you won’t be able to keep your car engine running at a high-performing level.
Other effects of coasting or holding down your car clutch
Apart from reducing your ability to control and maintain the performance of your vehicle, holding down your car clutch can also cause several other effects to your car.
According to experts, holding down your clutch or coasting your car can cause you to experience difficulty engaging a gear – this is especially true if something happens unexpectedly. That’s not all; holding down your clutch will also cause you to encounter hard braking.
Lastly, you also need to understand that holding your clutch down and coasting your car may be illegal in some states in the US and a few other countries. What makes it illegal is because you will have no control over the car when you hold the clutch down.
Is it bad to rest your foot on the clutch when driving?
After going through several different social media platforms and forums, I found out that people also commonly ask this question; “is it bad to keep my foot on the clutch when driving?”
Here’s what you need to know about the question; when driving, it’s not good to rest your foot on your car clutch at all times. That’s so because the driving habit will only end up wearing out your car clutch.
“Resting your foot on the clutch” is the same as “riding the clutch.” This is a driving process that involves the driver partially pressing the clutch down. This move will only cause more friction on the clutch disc, which will eventually wear out the car component.
Here’s the thing; the only time you need to keep your foot on your clutch is when you’re planning to engage the clutch. Anything apart from that will only cause your clutch to slip. And of course, that will surely reduce the lifespan of the clutch. You may be forced to replace it before the expected time.
Other ways to avoid damaging your car clutch
Apart from “resting your foot on the clutches,” several other driving habits can also cause damage to the clutch. Let’s have a quick look at some of them below:
- Using the gear instead of the hand brake when parking your car is one of the few habits that can cause damage to your clutch.
- Another factor that can damage the car clutch is when you take a long time to change the gear. To avoid that, ensure you change your gear quickly and only when there’s a need for that.
