When the clutch is engaged, i.e. when the clutch pedal is in the up position, the disc spring of the leading part of the clutch moves the clutch pressure plate towards the engine. In this case, the clutch disc, equipped with friction linings, is sandwiched between the pressure plate and the flywheel, and torque is transmitted from the engine to the gearbox. When the clutch pedal is depressed, the clutch thrust bearing moves the pressure plate backwards. This releases the clutch disc, after which the engine shaft and gearbox shaft can rotate independently of each other.
All models are equipped with a dry single-plate clutch, which consists of a clutch disc, pressure plate, belleville spring, casing and pressure bearing.
The clutch disc moves freely on the splines of the input shaft of the gearbox and is clamped between the flywheel and the pressure plate by the force that the belleville spring creates. Friction linings are riveted on both sides of the clutch disc. The leading part of the clutch disc is connected to the hub through the parts of the torsional vibration damper, which provides an elastic connection between them. The need for a torsional vibration damper is caused by the following.
With a sharp change in the speed of the car, hitting bumps in the road, abrupt engagement of the clutch, as well as due to uneven engine operation, dynamic loads occur in the vehicle transmission, causing twisting (unwinding) transmission shafts. Uneven engine torque can cause significant overloads in the transmission due to the occurrence of torsional vibrations and resonance when the frequencies of the transmitted loads coincide with the natural frequencies of the transmission. Elastic oscillations of the transmission lead not only to the appearance of noise in mechanisms and assemblies, but also to dangerous vibrations, and sometimes to breakage of parts, when the oscillation amplitude reaches a large value. The energy of torsional vibrations is absorbed by the absorber.
The disc diaphragm spring is mounted on pins and secured with support rings.
The release bearing is mounted on the front side of the gearbox on the guide bush. The bearing moves freely on the sleeve under the action of a lever, the axis of which is located inside the clutch housing. Depressing the clutch pedal moves the piston in the master cylinder and compresses the fluid, which is transferred through the hose to the slave cylinder. Under pressure, the piston of the working cylinder moves and actuates the clutch release lever. The clutch release lever moves the release bearing, which acts on the pressure plate spring and moves the pressure plate away from the clutch plate. Clutch adjustment is automatic.