Downshifting/Compression Braking
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Registered User
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 1,867
From: Drexel Hill, Pa
Downshifting/Compression Braking
Are there any long term concenquences from downshifting to slow down your vehicle? Im not talking about jamming it into first at 50. But just normal downshifting to a redlight, maybe bringing it up to 3500-4K and just running down the gears?
It should save you some life on your brakes, and it just sounds cool!
It should save you some life on your brakes, and it just sounds cool!
Registered User
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 983
From: Motor City
Re: Downshifting/Compression Braking
Originally Posted by shoebox
Engine braking from high RPMs is hard on the tranny clutches. Brakes are much cheaper.
Registered User
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 1,526
From: Madison, Wi
Re: Downshifting/Compression Braking
Shoebox is right.
Brake pads are cheap and easy to replace. It's not worth any extra wear on the drivetrain components... and there will be extra wear. Even if you blip the throttle perfectly, you are causing wear on the throwout bearing, master cylinder and slave cylinder. All of these items are more expensive and harder to replace than brake pads.
If your car is auto, it is even worse for it.
Use the brakes, that is what they are there for.
Under normal driving conditions, I leave it in gear and coast as long as I can, use my brakes to stop and pop it in neutral when the RPMs hit 1000-1500.
I also do not ever sit at a red light with the clutch pressed in. It's hard on the throwout bearing to sit with the clutch pressed in.
Brake pads are cheap and easy to replace. It's not worth any extra wear on the drivetrain components... and there will be extra wear. Even if you blip the throttle perfectly, you are causing wear on the throwout bearing, master cylinder and slave cylinder. All of these items are more expensive and harder to replace than brake pads.
If your car is auto, it is even worse for it.
Use the brakes, that is what they are there for.
Under normal driving conditions, I leave it in gear and coast as long as I can, use my brakes to stop and pop it in neutral when the RPMs hit 1000-1500.
I also do not ever sit at a red light with the clutch pressed in. It's hard on the throwout bearing to sit with the clutch pressed in.
Registered User
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 636
From: Newtown, PA.
Re: Downshifting/Compression Braking
Originally Posted by shoebox
Engine braking from high RPMs is hard on the tranny clutches. Brakes are much cheaper.
I just read a story on an IROC in 'World Wide Camaro'. The guy has over 200K miles on the car, and replaced his brakes once, while replacing the clutch 3 times...when asked how he went thru 3 clutches to 1 set of brakes....engine braking.
Registered User
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,592
From: N Falmouth MA
Re: Downshifting/Compression Braking
I was allways told... which would you like to replace more frequently? The brakes or the clutch.
I use the brakes more than I decell. But, my T6 doesn't like to downshift to 2nd.
I use the brakes more than I decell. But, my T6 doesn't like to downshift to 2nd.
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