Is UTV Engine Braking Safe – How Engine Braking Works?

Suppose you are driving a UTV on high hills and suddenly the brakes stop working. It can be a frightening and stressful situation.

The only thing that can save your life is the UTV engine braking system because it slows down the vehicle and saves you from life-threatening conditions.

Your UTV engine braking might reduce the risk of overheating, wearing, and tearing and save it from permanent damage.

In this article we are going to discuss is UTV engine braking is safe and how it works

Benefits Of Engine Braking

1. Increases Safety And Prevents Accidents

Engine Braking
Source: uti

If you are driving a UTV on rough terrains or descending steep hills, you can experience wheels locking up or breaking, then engine braking proves a blessing that slows down the vehicle and saves you from a collision. It increases your safety by preventing fatal accidents.

2. Reduces Risk Of Overheating

Brakes produce too much heat in the engine and it can damage the internal components of the engine that results in expensive repair and replacement.

The engine braking system reduces the risk of overheating and keeps the parts of the engine safe. Overheating can even lead to bursting in the vehicle and permanent damage in most cases.

3. Reduces Wearing And Tearing

 UTV is designed to drive on rough and difficult terrains but overriding puts pressure on the brakes and there are high chances of wear and tear on the brakes that may damage them permanently.

Engine braking reduces this stress and improves the working of brakes by increasing their lifespan.

4. Increases Fuel Efficiency

Engine Braking  Increases Fuel Efficiency
Source: businesstoday

In normal conditions when a vehicle is using brakes to stop or slow down the vehicle then its fuel consumption increases and our expenses as well.

But engine braking saves the extra money spent on too much fuel consumption since brakes are not used frequently and engine braking systems handle everything in a good way.

5. Better Control Over The Vehicle

Whether you are ascending or descending steep hills or driving on complicated terrains, the whole pressure is on the vehicle brakes and sometimes they stop working and put you in life-threatening situations.

Then engine braking can control the vehicle in a better way and keep all internal components of UTV safe and sound.

How Engine Braking Works?

Let me walk you through the whole process of how the engine braking system works

1. Throttle Valve Closes

As soon as the driver releases the accelerator pedal, the throttle valve shuts and reduces the air entering the cylinder. The braking system works when the throttle valve closes and no more air enters the engine.  

2. Air Compression

Engine Braking  Air Compression
Source: wikipedia

Up and down movement of pistons in the engine compress the trapped air present in it. This movement produces a braking force that further slows down the UTV.

3. Downshifting Transmission And Increasing Compression

Riders always go for downshifting the transmission since it enhances the engine braking effect. As A result, compression is increased in the cylinders and the vehicle slows down automatically.

4. Limiting The Entrance Of Air

When we limit the amount of air entering the engine, it slows down the vehicle by reducing its power.

Conclusion

Overall, the engine braking system is favorable in deadly circumstances when you lose control of your UTV and it can result in huge damage to your vehicle and life as well.

We have discussed all the benefits of using the engine brake system and also explained the process of working on engine braking in a detailed way.

You can further consult a professional to see if everything is fine with your engine braking and if it is working perfectly when brakes are not in use.