When your foot is off the clutch pedal in a manual car, springs push the pressure plate against the clutch disc, which in turn presses against the flywheel. This locks the engine to the transmission input shaft, causing them to spin at the same speed. The amount of force the clutch can hold depends on the friction between the clutch plate and the flywheel, and how much force the spring puts on the pressure plate. The friction force in the clutch works just like the blocks described in the friction section of How Brakes Work , except that the spring presses on the clutch plate instead of weight pressing the block into the ground.
When the clutch pedal is pressed, a cable or hydraulic piston pushes on the release fork. This in turn presses the release bearing , which disengages the engine from the transmission during gear shifts, against the middle of the diaphragm spring. As the middle of the diaphragm spring is pushed in, a series of pins near the outside of the spring causes the spring to pull the pressure plate away from the clutch disc.
This releases the clutch from the spinning engine. Note the springs in the clutch plate. These springs help to isolate the transmission from the shock of the clutch engaging. This design usually works pretty well, but it does have a few drawbacks. We'll look at common clutch problems and other uses for clutches in the following sections.
From the s to the s, you could count on getting between 50, and 70, miles 80, and , kilometers from your car's clutch. Clutches can now last for more than 80, miles , kilometers if you use them gently and maintain them well. If not cared for, clutches can start to break down at 35, miles 56, kilometers.
Trucks that are consistently overloaded or that frequently tow heavy loads can also have problems with relatively new clutches. The most common problem with clutches is that the friction material on the disc wears out. The friction material on a clutch disc is very similar to the friction material on the pads of a disc brake or the shoes of a drum brake — after a while, it wears away.
When most or all of the friction material is gone, the clutch will start to slip, and eventually it won't transmit any power from the engine to the wheels. The clutch only wears while the clutch disc and the flywheel are spinning at different speeds.
When they are locked together, the friction material is held tightly against the flywheel, and they spin in sync. It's only when the clutch disc is slipping against the flywheel that wearing occurs. So, if you are the type of driver who slips the clutch a lot, you'll wear out your clutch a lot faster. Sometimes the problem is not with slipping, but with sticking. If your clutch won't release properly, it will continue to turn the input shaft. This can cause grinding, or completely prevent your car from going into gear.
Some common reasons a clutch may stick are:. A "hard" clutch is also a common problem. All clutches require some amount of force to depress fully. If you have to press hard on the pedal, there may be something wrong. Sticking or binding in the pedal linkage, cable, cross shaft, or pivot ball are common causes. Sometimes a blockage or worn seals in the hydraulic system can also cause a hard clutch. Another problem associated with clutches is a worn clutch release bearing , sometimes called a throw-out bearing.
This bearing applies force to the fingers of the spinning pressure plate to release the clutch. If you hear a rumbling sound when the clutch engages, you might have a problem with the throw-out.
If you don't hear any noise during these four steps, then your problem is probably not the clutch. If you hear the noise at idle and it goes away when the clutch is pressed, it may be an issue in the contact point between the release fork and the pivot ball that supports it. There are many other types of clutches in your car and in your garage. An automatic transmission contains several clutches. These clutches engage and disengage various sets of planetary gears , which are made of a central drive gear surrounded by gears that orbit it.
Each clutch in an automatic transmission is put into motion using pressurized hydraulic fluid. When the pressure drops, springs cause the clutch to release.
The pressure plate contains a diaphragm or springs that apply the pressure on the main casting or driving surface. In order to release or disengage drive, the diaphragm or clutch levers are actuated which allows the main casting to lift off the driven disc. The Release Bearing provides a medium of actuation between the rotating clutch assembly and the static clutch fork and transmission. The bearing will absorb the force to release the clutch and also reduce wear between rotating and non-rotating components.
A Pilot Bearing is not present in all clutch assemblies but is most common in RWD engine configurations. This bearing sits either in the back of the crank or in the flywheel and locates the input shaft. It is important to locate the input shaft in the back of the crank for correct clutch life and operation.
Without a pilot bearing, excessive wear can occur in the splines and the hub of the driven disc, which can cause clutch release issues. ACS has a range of Clutch Kits and Flywheels to suit most automotive, commercial and agricultural applications. The clutch has several components that are key to its operation: The Flywheel has 3 main functions. They are highly worn and heat resistant. The pressure plate is made of special cast iron. It is the heaviest part of the clutch assembly.
The main function of the pressure plate is to establish even contact with the driven plate facing through which the pressure springs can exert a sufficient force to transmit the full torque of the engine. The pressure plate presses the clutch plate on to the flywheel from its machined surface.
Between the pressure plate and clutch cover assembly, pressure springs are fits. The pressure will be withdrawn from the flywheel whenever release levers depress by the toggle or release levers pivots accordingly.
The clutch cover assembly bolts to the flywheel. It consists of a pressure plate, release lever mechanism, clutch cover, and pressure springs. Generally, the clutch plate revolves with the flywheel.
However, when the clutch has disengaged, the flywheel, as well as the pressure plates, are free to rotate independently from the driven plate and driving shaft. These pivots on pins to the clutch cover, their outer ends locate and positions on pressure plate legs, and the inner ends are projecting towards the clutch shaft.
A careful and accurate adjustment of the release mechanism is one of the most important factors governing the performance of a clutch assembly. It is a component of the gearbox. Since it is a splined shaft to the hub of the clutch plate, which is sliding on it. One end of the clutch shaft attaches to the crankshaft or flywheel and the other end connects to the gearbox or forms a part of the gearbox.
A Clutch is defined as a system that is used to connect or disconnect the engine from the rest of the transmission elements. It is located between the engine and gearbox.
During normal running and stationary position, it is always in the engaged condition. The clutch disengages when the driver processes the clutch pedal. The clutch disengages for starting, changing gears, stopping, and idling. When the clutch engages, the engine will connect to the transmission, and power flows from the engine to rear wheels through a transmission system When the clutch disengages by pressing the clutch pedal, the engine will disengage from the transmission.
Thus, the power does not flow to rear wheels while the engine is still running. The clutch is a device that is necessary to transmit power from the engine to the wheels of the vehicle by engaging the engine to the transmission system gradually without giving the jerks to the body of the vehicle.
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