You may not know a great deal about how your car works, but you understand that it is generally reliable and can take you back and forth to work every day. You know that you need to look after many of its internal components carefully, however, as they undergo a great deal of pressure during normal operation and will eventually wear out. With this in mind, you've recently encountered an issue when trying to change gear and somebody may have told you that your clutch mechanism is about to fail. What exactly is this clutch and what could be going wrong?
How the Clutch Works
The clutch is made up of several different individual components and will usually be supplied together as a kit. This mechanism sits in between the engine and the gearbox and helps you to match the energy produced by the motor with the road conditions and movement of the car.
Simply put, you need something to help slow down the engine so that usable energy can be transferred to the road wheels as you change gears with variable speed. A clutch mechanism is designed to release the engine for a moment while a new gear is engaged, before reconnecting everything in line.
Major Components
To do this, several different components are required. To begin with, the flywheel sits on the end of the engine's crankshaft and will spin at the same speed as the motor itself. Then, the clutch pressure plate is bolted on, and this keeps the assembly in place while adjusting pressure through a series of springs. This allows it to rotate independently of the engine.
In between these two parts is the all-important clutch disc which has friction materials bonded to each side and will come into contact with the flywheel whenever the clutch pedal is lifted. Conversely, when you depress the clutch pedal, the disc will release its position and isolate the power of the engine.
Bearings Under Load
A number of different bearings are incorporated along the way that helps to hold the transmission input shaft in place carefully. The input shaft is fed through the clutch mechanism to receive and release rotational speed. These bearings are under immense pressure as they have to centre the input shaft precisely and provide a mounting point for the friction clutch disc.
How You Can Help
When you are behind the wheel, it pays to be as gentle as possible when you are changing gear. Some vehicles use a purely mechanical action while others in the more modern era use hydraulic assistance. Either way, a lot of action takes place in a short amount of time when you depress the clutch and release it, and it's not surprising that all these parts come under so much abuse.
For more information on clutch kits, contact your local mechanic shop.