Clutch System - Mechanism & Function: Clutch: Notes

The clutch is a push type clutch. When the pedal is depressed, the self-aligning release bearing is caused to slide on a guide pressing the center of the diaphragm spring. The diaphragm spring is warped and the force having pressed the pressure plate is released, causing the flywheel, clutch disk and pressure plate to be disengaged from each other, and the transmission of drive force is interrupted. The action point of the clutch is located at the tip of each diaphragm spring fingers, which press the pressure plate against the clutch disc.
A clutch using a diaphragm spring has the advantage of little variation in push load even when the clutch disc is worn. The diaphragm spring is located inside the clutch cover.
The clutch disk for both of the non-turbo and turbo models has damper springs and is placed in between the flywheel and the pressure plate.
Inside the clutch cover, the diaphragm spring and pressure plate are combined with each other by means of strap plates, which also serve to prevent the pressure plate from relatively turning.
The clutch control is hydraulic and the master cylinder is of the conventional type. The cylinder diameter of the master cylinder for turbo models are made larger. Also, on both the non-turbo and turbo models, the pedal depressing effort is optimized and a damper is attached to reduce vibration of the clutch pedal.