TABLE OF CONTENTS Most clutches used in the modern motor car are called friction clutches. This means that they rely on the friction created between two surfaces to transmit the drive from the engine to the gearbox. The clutch fulfils a number of different tasks. The three main ones are:
it connects/disconnects the drive between the engine and the gearbox;
it enables the drive to be taken up gradually and smoothly;
it provides the vehicle with a temporary neutral.
The three main component parts of a clutch are:
the driven plate, sometimes referred to as the clutch, centre or friction plate;
the pressure plate which comes complete with the clutch cover, springs or diaphragm to provide the force to press the surfaces together;
the release bearing which provides the bearing surface which, when the driver operates the clutch pedal, disconnects the drive between the engine and the gearbox.
Through the centre of the pressure plate the input shaft of the gearbox (sometimes called the spigot, first motion or clutch shaft) is splined to the middle of the driven plate. On the conventional vehicle layout it is located on a bearing (called the spigot bearing) in the flywheel.
The driving members of the multi-spring clutch consist of a flywheel and pressure plate (both made of cast iron) with the driven plate trapped between. The pressure plate rotates with the flywheel, by means of projections on it locating with...
