5 things you should not do with manual gear in your car

In spite of the fact that the manual gearbox is in retirement, a large part of the automotive park is and will continue to be with manual gearbox. It is traditional and inexpensive: but do we really know how to operate a vehicle with manual gearbox?

The following are 5 points that we have when driving in manual change and that we should not do:

1. Drive by resting the foot on the clutch pedal

The manual clutch works by mechanical friction, when the pedal is not actuated, a disc is strongly pressed against a metal plate; resting the foot on the pedal causes that small weight to remove pressure on the disc, enough to “make it slip” and that its surface burns, drastically reducing its life. It is usually an expensive component to replace.

2. Keep your hand on the shift lever

Yes, it is a mistake. Beyond that the hands must go in the steering wheel, to keep the hand in the lever, it removes the free play to the lever, the one that is connected by rods to the system of changes, the changes by action of the torque and movement of the motor, transmit movement to the lever and if we do not let it move freely, it will be unnecessarily pressing the internal parts of the gear box. Let’s Say it more easy, we are only causing wear on parts that perhaps should never be changed.

3. Wait for a semaphore with the driven clutch

Actuating the clutch should only be in short actions, just tighten, release and keep pressed as little time as possible. Operating it steadily could burn the disc or greatly reduce the life of the press that maintains the driven disc.

4. Down a slope by braking

The engine is designed to push and hold the car, so we often just release the accelerator pedal to reduce or maintain its speed. A slope demands a lot of brakes, causing a temperature that reduces its efficiency and could cause failures that will lead to a replacement very early. Like the clutch, the brakes must be short acting, in this way we promote their correct cooling.

5. Climb a slope by playing with the clutch

When leaving a subway or when we are in areas with slopes rising, if for some reason we are stopped, we must start the car with the applied parking brake (handbrake). Many cars have sloped exit assistance, which makes it easier to get the car out. If the car starts to reverse, we will only cause excessive wear on the clutch. Some people keep the car without braking and “playing” with the clutch, very serious error, and the disc will fail long before it has to be replaced with normal use.

Remember all these tips, this way you will extend the life of expensive replacement parts in your car.