Car Articles

A clutch is a subcomponent of the engine transmission that is used to connect and disconnect the engine from the gearbox. This mechanism of connection and disconnection is used to take-off a smooth start, accelerate through various gears, reverse the car and even stop the car. In short, car driving is all about clutches.

The car engine keeps on spinning but the wheels do not. There is a direct connection between the two and to stop the car, it is necessary to cut this connection, here car clutch plays a major role. Pressing the clutch smoothly controls the slippage between the spinning engine and non-spinning wheels.

Clutch mainly consists of two plates: pressure plate and friction plate. Both these plates have friction materials on both ends and are connected together through an actuator. From the other end, pressure plate is connected to the gearbox through an axle whereas friction plate to the engine crankshaft. The remaining part of the pressure plate is connected to the power train. When the clutch is pressed, the actuator pushes both the plate simultaneously, which in turn transmits torque to the drive train that further helps the car to move. After driving a few meters, the two plates stick together and the engine gets directly connected to the drive train.

Car clutch is mainly classified into two categories: dry clutch and wet clutch. In case of a dry clutch, the clutch is free from oil immersion whereas wet clutch is a clutch completely immersed in oil. Dry clutch, also known as manual clutch, is regulated by foot-pedal and works well on cars featured with manual transmission.

Wet clutch, also known as hydraulic clutch, mainly consists of hydraulically actuated components for locking and decoupling the clutch plates. This kind of clutch delivers higher torque with a smoother connection. Engaging the clutch involves transfer of power through an incompressible fluid like oil which further transmits the power to the wheels.

Apart from dry and wet clutches, there are various other clutch designs and types based on the friction material and the type of transmission. Some of the known clutches are organic clutches, made of friction material on the plates, and cera-metallic clutches, made without friction material on the plates.