When operating a sports car, most people focus on the chassis bridge and often overlook the clutch, assuming that as long as it works properly, it’s fine. But there are actually many intricacies involved.
When choosing a vehicle, we should carefully consider whether it suits our needs:
What kind of goods do we want to transport?
What is the approximate tonnage?
Will we primarily operate on highways or national roads?
Finally, when choosing a vehicle, select one with a gear ratio that suits your needs.
For example: For heavy-duty transport, buy a 4.11 gear ratio; for general cargo, buy a 3.7 gear ratio; for green channel transport, buy a 3.083 gear ratio. If you have enough horsepower and mainly drive on highways, you can also choose a vehicle with a smaller gear ratio.
Even with high horsepower, a mismatched gear ratio is meaningless. This is why we sometimes see smaller, less powerful vehicles overtaking larger ones on highways.
Back to today’s topic: the clutch. Choosing the right gear ratio is important, but to ensure a durable clutch, good driving habits are crucial.
First, when starting, gently release the clutch pedal and lightly press the accelerator pedal. Don’t do what some drivers do: floor the accelerator, making the engine roar, before releasing the clutch pedal. This will definitely accelerate clutch plate wear.
Trucks need a certain amount of time for partial clutch engagement to ensure a smooth start. Mastering this partial engagement is the most difficult part; incorrect clutch release can easily cause stalling, especially since trucks are mostly fully loaded.
Correct method: When releasing the clutch, never release it abruptly. Release it slowly. When it’s about halfway released, you can gently apply the accelerator or continue slowly releasing the clutch.
When starting, the vehicle must be allowed to move slowly. Never accelerate suddenly; otherwise, the clutch plates will wear out after a few starts, especially on soft dirt roads or steep slopes. The maintenance costs of the same car can vary drastically depending on the driving habits of the two drivers.
The clutch pedal must be adjusted to the right position so it feels its pressure; too high or too low is not good. Only what feels right to you is the optimal state. Occasionally, if the oil level is low, one person needs to stay in the car and press the pedal while the other gets out to bleed the oil and adjust the system. If the oil level is low, it must be added as soon as possible to avoid being caught off guard on the road.
