For Greater Movement

Trying to move something heavy without any proper tool is like trying to go to war with no weapons at all. This is the same thing as trying to drive a vehicle with manual transmission without a clutch – absolutely impossible.         

The clutch is a device that can be engaged and disengaged to transmit and stop rotation properly. Since a car’s engine is constantly in rotation, there is a need for a clutch to enable the wheels to rotate as well. Once the wheels are in motion, they will certainly need to stop at a certain period of time. To do this, there should be smooth disconnection of the engine from the wheels. This task is made possible by the clutch. But how does it work? When the driver pushes the clutch pedal, the springs push the pressure plate against the clutch disc, which is then pushed against the flywheel. This process causes the engine to get locked to the transmission input shaft, making them spin together at the same speed.

Aside from the clutch in a manual transmission, there are also clutches in an automatic transmission. In fact, this kind of transmission makes use of several clutches that engage and disengage several sets of planetary gears. Each clutch is able to move with the use of pressurized hydraulic fluid. The clutch is released by the springs once the pressure goes down. Inside and outside the clutch are splines that are responsible for locking into the gears and the housing of the clutch.      

But just like every other car part, the clutch can also encounter several problems. One common problem is the wearing out of the friction material on the clutch disc. When this happens, the clutch will slip and eventually lose its ability to transfer the needed power from the vehicle’s engine to the wheels. Another problem is sticking, a condition wherein the clutch is unable to release properly. This can cause grinding and the failure of a car to move. A hard clutch is yet another problem which occurs when there is a great difficulty pressing the clutch pedal. This can be caused by worn seals, sticking in the pivot ball, or cable and pedal linkage. Lastly, a worn-out clutch release bearing is also a usual clutch problem which manifests itself through a rumbling noise whenever the clutch pedal is pressed. To defend one’s car from these problems, it is necessary to have the clutches inspected at a regular basis. They should also be replaced within the recommended time intervals.