Clutch control
controlling the speed of a vehicle with a manual transmission
Clutch control is the controlling of the speed of a manual transmission vehicle by partially engaging the clutch plate, using the clutch pedal instead of (or in conjunction with) the accelerator pedal. The purpose of a clutch is in part to allow such control; in particular, a clutch provides transfer of torque between shafts spinning at different speeds. In the extreme, clutch control is used in performance driving, such as starting from a dead stop with the engine producing maximum torque at high RPM.
Overview
With the clutch pedal completely pressed or a motorcycle's lever pulled entirely towards the driver, there is no direct link between the engine and the driveshaft, so no power can pass from the engine to the driveshaft and wheels. With the pedal entirely released, there is full contact between the engine and the driveshaft, via the clutch plate, which means that the engine can apply power directly to the driveshaft. However, it is possible to have the clutch plate partially engaged, allowing the clutch to slip. As a result, only a fraction of the power from the engine reaches the driveshaft, which is commonly known as half clutch.
Benefits
There are benefits to the use of clutch control in specific circumstances:
Low gear and low speed
When a car is in first gear, small variations in engine speed translate to large changes in acceleration and engine braking. However, with a combination of clutch control and careful use of engine speed, a much smoother ride can be achieved by allowing the clutch to slip. Variations in engine revs are not immediately translated into changes in drive shaft rotation speed, but rather the friction on the clutch plate allows the drive shaft to gradually equalize with the speed of the engine.
Moving off from a standstill
At a certain point while gently lifting the clutch, the car will begin to move as the clutch starts to slip, referred to as the biting point.
“Clutch control” enters the record as controlling the speed of a vehicle with a manual transmission. Crown Archives preserves that source wording while asking what Clutch, control and controlling can confirm, complicate or overturn.
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