A Beginner's Guide to Clutch Control
Ellie Dyer-Brown, 4 months ago
5 min read
- Car ownership
- How to
FixMyCar explains how to master clutch control.
Mastering clutch control is one of the hardest parts of learning to drive a manual car. It can be frustrating at first, but eventually, you’ll do it without thinking. This guide provides all the information you need to become a clutch control pro.
Contents
What does the clutch do?
The clutch connects and disconnects the power from a car’s engine to its wheels via the gearbox. We won’t go into the technical details of how it works here - if you want an in-depth explanation, check out this guide.
When you push the clutch pedal, the engine is disengaged from the wheels, and you can change gears.
What is clutch control?
Now you know the basics of what the clutch does, how do you control it? That’s where clutch control comes in - it’s the process of mastering this power transfer to control your vehicle, especially at slow speeds.
You use clutch control to:
Pull away after being stationary
Change gears
Drive in stop-start traffic
How to find the biting point
One of the most important parts of clutch control is working out where the biting point is. Finding it is sensory - you rely on the sound of the engine and the feeling of the pedal.
The front of the car often feels like it tugs forward slightly when you find the biting point because this is when the clutch plates move closer together, engaging the engine and wheels so that you can move forward.
Bringing the clutch pedal up too quickly or too far will cause the engine to stall - perfecting the art of clutch control allows you to avoid this.
Follow these steps to find the biting point:
Push the clutch pedal down to the floor with your left foot.
Select first gear.
Hold your right foot over the accelerator pedal, keeping it steady.
Slowly lift your foot off the clutch. As you do this, you will feel the engine and wheels start to engage - this is the biting point. You may see the bonnet rise a little. Stop lifting your foot and keep it in a steady position.
You can apply the accelerator slightly to start moving forward or lower your foot to begin the process again.
The more you practise the above steps, the easier it will become to find the biting point.
How to perfect hill starts
After you’ve got to grips with the biting point and practised clutch control on flat ground, the next step is learning to stop and start on hills.
Hill starts are notoriously tricky and may take a while to master, but you’ll likely have to do one during your test if the test centre is near a hill, so you should take time to prepare.
Hill start tips
You’ll need to accelerate more than usual to get moving.
Aim for around 2,000rpm when pressing the accelerator.
To avoid stalling, you might have to release the clutch from the biting point slower than usual.
Staying in lower gears for longer will help your car climb the hill.
Clutch control tips
Here are our top tips to help you use clutch control like a pro.
1. Practice makes perfect
It can take a while to familiarise yourself with the biting point of a car and learn how to control it. Practising regularly, even if you find it frustrating, will give your driving skills a big boost.
2. Focus on your technique
When changing gears, ensure the clutch pedal is fully released before pressing the accelerator. Use a light touch on the clutch pedal to avoid over-revving the engine.
3. Pay attention to the biting point
If you listen to music or the radio while you drive, switching it off could help you find the biting point because it makes it easier to hear the engine change as the clutch engages.
4. Don’t ride the clutch
Riding the clutch is when you don’t fully release the clutch pedal, causing premature wear. You definitely want to avoid this mistake since clutch replacements are notoriously expensive.
5. Use the handbrake if you need to
The handbrake can be helpful when attempting a hill start because it stops your car from rolling backwards while you find the biting point.
What happens if I stall?
Stalling is an inevitable part of learning to drive. When it happens, your engine cuts out, and you have to get it going again. In some situations, it could be dangerous - if it happens when you’re pulling out of a junction, for instance - but the most important thing is not to panic.
Stay calm, put the car in neutral, and restart the engine. Even if it happens during your driving test, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll fail. The driving instructor will mark you based on how you react to it.
Stalling isn’t the end of the world - but you should try to avoid it if you can. Over time, it can lead to mechanical clutch problems, which are expensive to fix.
Here are some other reasons your car might be stalling.
Should I learn to drive an automatic instead?
Learning to drive an automatic car is a lot easier because you don't have to deal with manual gear changes - the car does it for you. However, if you pass your test in an automatic, you can only drive automatic vehicles in the future. You are not qualified to drive a manual, so you can't switch without taking another driving test.
Feeling a bit embarrassed when you make mistakes like stalling or grinding the gears is perfectly normal. But remember, all drivers, especially learners, go through this. The challenges you're facing now will become much easier as you gain more experience, so don't be discouraged - keep pushing forward.
Looking for affordable car repairs or maintenance? FixMyCar can help you find the right garage at the right price.
If you found this guide helpful, you might also like:
Written by Ellie
Ellie is FixMyCar's Content Writer. She has over three years of experience writing about cars and regularly collaborates with automotive experts to provide trustworthy advice for drivers that is easy understand. Her work has been featured in Yahoo! Finance, iNews, The Daily Express and The Sun. She has a BA in English literature and an MA in creative writing from Durham University. Outside of work, Ellie follows F1 and eagerly awaits Ferrari's next era of dominance in the sport. She drives a Suzuki Swift.