Clutch Assembly

Clutch Assembly

 

The clutch assembly is located between engine and manual transmission and it provides a mechanical coupling between the engine’s flywheel and input shaft of the transmission. To operate the clutch the driver should push the clutch pedal, then the mechanical linkage transfers the forces to the clutch assembly. Normally a clutch is always engaged (if no power is applied in the pedal) with the spring force, and the muscle power given via pedal gives disengagement of clutch plate.

 

Flywheel

The flywheel plays very important role in an engine. The internal combustion engine generates torques by combustion of fuel and air mixture, and the timing of torques generation is normally the piston is at the top position. Because of this fact, the rotating power of an engine has not a constant speed (turns fast at the torque generation and slows down before and after). The flywheel at the end of crankshaft keeps the engine rotating speed constant by applying relatively high inertia at the crankshaft. In a passenger car of light duty truck, dual mass flywheel is normally applied to reduce transmitted vibration from the engine and again to reduce gear noise in the transmission.  Dual mass flywheel consists of two inertia plates and these front and rear plates are connected via a spring and this spring plays the role of damper.

 

 Clutch Disc

The clutch disc is connected via spline with input shaft of a transmission, and it receives the rotating torque from the engine’s flywheel and pressure plate of clutch assembly. The direct contact is taken place at the facing of the disc. To withstand very high friction and pressure the material selection of disc facing is important asbestos was used for long time but now it is forbidden for human health reason.

 

Clutch Linkage

 

For the passenger car of light truck muscle power is enough to disengage the clutch, therefore the linkage is composed without any hydraulic power assistant devices. But for the heavy duty vehicle with higher engaging forces, an hydraulic power boosting device is inevitable to use. The picture above shows an example of clutch linkage.

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