Preamble:
The correct usage of a Mechanical Transmission Car’s Clutch continues
to elude a vast majority of Motorists. Yet, if the basics of it are understood
– which is no Einstein’s Theory of Relativity – there
is nothing simpler or easier than that.
In the following Paras of Part-I of this Article, let’s take a conducted
tour of what this bugbear is all about. In Part-II, we’ll discuss
a real-life situation.
What is a ‘Clutch’ anyway!–
In simple speak, it’s a device introduced between the Engine and Gearbox/Wheels
of a Car – to enable the Car to take off smoothly from stand still,
accelerate it through its various gears, cruise, bring it to stand-still
again and ofcourse to reverse it inevitably – as and when required.
How does it work ? The principle of its working is some
what like Brakes – both using a specially designed long life ‘friction
material’ made to rub against a rotating metallic surface in order
to bring it to a halt.
However, the difference between the two is that in case of Brakes, halt
means bringing the car ‘smoothly’ to a stop when actuated where
as in a Clutch, it ‘almost’ rigidly-couples the Engine/Flywheel
to the Gearbox/Input Shaft. Why I say ‘almost’ is because it’s
not a metallic jaw/tooth kind of a lock but sandwiching of the friction
material between two metallic ones under ‘adequate’ pressure.
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