- 694
- Mexico City
- jedikeeper
Do you usually brake this way? 
Braking using engine braking?
- Thread starter jedikeeper
- 4 comments
- 883 views
- 3,867
- Saltash
- Dolhaus
You can't depress the clutch and use only the brakes to slow the car so yes, it is used as part of normal braking. Also some corners and situations require lifting out of the throttle without touching the brakes so again yes, engine braking is used.
Bit of an odd question really....
Bit of an odd question really....
- 694
- Mexico City
- jedikeeper
- 11,439
- Sweden
- eran0004
The brakes of the car are far more efficient so it's better to use them. If the brakes aren't strong enough to lock the wheels you should adjust their settings, and only if you can't adjust the brakes you can use engine braking to help stopping the car.
Some important things to consider though:
1. Engine braking is transferred to the driving wheels, so they give the best effect in front wheel drive cars.
2. Engine braking is multiplied by the gearbox, so at high speeds it'll have very little effect. You get the most engine braking at low speeds and in a low gear.
3. In rear wheel drive cars, engine braking can be useful to help the car rotate around narrow corners (similar to a handbrake turn, but less extreme)
4. The effect of engine braking while using the brakes is limited if you're driving with ABS, since ABS adjusts the force of the brakes to prevent the wheels from locking.
And finally, a fun engine braking experiment:
1. Buy a Subaru 360
2. Set the first gear ratio as short as you possibly can (set the final drive to the lowest setting, then set the top speed to the lowest setting, then set the final drive to the highest setting, then set first gear to the highest setting)
3. Go to a track, take the car up to top speed (which will probably be about 20-30 km/h with such a short gearbox)
4. Get off the throttle and quickly shift down to first gear
Some important things to consider though:
1. Engine braking is transferred to the driving wheels, so they give the best effect in front wheel drive cars.
2. Engine braking is multiplied by the gearbox, so at high speeds it'll have very little effect. You get the most engine braking at low speeds and in a low gear.
3. In rear wheel drive cars, engine braking can be useful to help the car rotate around narrow corners (similar to a handbrake turn, but less extreme)
4. The effect of engine braking while using the brakes is limited if you're driving with ABS, since ABS adjusts the force of the brakes to prevent the wheels from locking.
And finally, a fun engine braking experiment:
1. Buy a Subaru 360
2. Set the first gear ratio as short as you possibly can (set the final drive to the lowest setting, then set the top speed to the lowest setting, then set the final drive to the highest setting, then set first gear to the highest setting)
3. Go to a track, take the car up to top speed (which will probably be about 20-30 km/h with such a short gearbox)
4. Get off the throttle and quickly shift down to first gear
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