The Advantages of Gearboxes With Clutches

The decision between a manual or automatic gearbox goes a long way toward determining what skills a driver needs and how much control a driver has over the car. Instead of a clutch, automatic transmissions use clutch packs, which allow the transmission to shift automatically without any input from the driver. A manual transmissions features a driver-controlled clutch in the form of a pedal to the left of the standard gas and brake pedals. This lets the driver disengage the transmission and select gears as needed for driving conditions.

Greater Control

A gearbox with a clutch gives you greater control of your vehicle. By depressing the clutch pedal you disengage the engine, which allows your vehicle to coast under its own momentum. This is useful for coming to a smooth stop or driving downhill without the need to upshift abruptly. You can also select a lower gear for more horsepower at a higher engine rpm, such as when driving up hill or accelerating to pass a car on the highway. You control which gear the transmission is in, and precisely when gear shifts occur.

Engine Braking

Cars with automatic transmissions automatically upshift as you drive down a hill or coast to a stop. However, with a clutch you can engage the engine in a lower gear and allow the drivetrain to actually slow your car. This reduces the need to use your brakes and can be especially useful during long downhill stretches of road that might cause brakes to overheat due to constant friction.

Mechanical Simplicity

A manual transmission uses fewer and simpler components than an automatic. Even with the clutch and corresponding linkage, a gearbox with a clutch has fewer complex parts and is, in general, less likely to fail. Manual gearboxes can last the life of a car with no more service than an occasional oil change to keep the gears lubricated properly. This also saves money in production and repair costs.

Fuel Economy

Drivers who use a gearbox with a clutch can select the appropriate gear for maximum power, or better fuel efficiency. Driving in a lower gear, or starting in first gear and slowly progressing through the gears as you accelerate, requires less fuel. Coasting to a stop by depressing the clutch lets you cover much more ground without pressing the gas pedal than would be possible in a car with an automatic transmission (where the permanent linkage between the engine and the rest of the drivetrain slows the car more quickly).