Be Kind to Your Clutch

How many of you “ride” your clutch, by resting your foot on the pedal?  A lot of people do. Many drivers also rest their hand on the gear shifter all the time, and that little bit of extra pressure also causes premature wear in the transmission.

It’s best to shift into neutral at stoplights. Not doing so tends to accelerate wear on the throw out bearing. Also, find a steady cruising speed to flow with the traffic as soon as you can, and when downshifting, coordinate shift changes with the speed to protect your motor and maximize gas mileage. If you’re having trouble shifting, you might first check the floor mat. Many drivers, believe it or not, have a bunched up mat under the clutch pedal so it can’t fully disengage for smooth shifting.