Uploaded March 2021 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
From the Engine to the Drive Wheels, learn how clutches work in 6 minutes. Explained by a motorsports driver and tuner!
Have you ever wondered how the clutch works in a manual transmission car or truck? The manual transmission clutch assembly has 3 key components: the flywheel, the clutch disc, and the pressure plate. These are bolted to the back of the engine via the crankshaft and transfer power to the drive wheels via the transmission.
The flywheel connects the clutch assembly to the engine by bolting to the crankshaft and it has a friction surface which the clutch disc presses against.
The clutch disc is the most complex component in the clutch assembly: it has a hub with a splined shaft that rides on the transmission, which is how power transfers to the drive wheels. The hub has springs in it to damped the shock of clutch engagement and disengagement. Finally, the clutch disc has a ring of friction material around the outside edge which is what presses on the flywheel and pressure plate.
The final component is the clutch assembly is the pressure plate, it has a friction surface similar to the flywheel which sandwiches the clutch disc in place. The other key component is the diaphragm spring, which looks like "fingers" in the center of the pressure plate. These are depressed by the clutch hydraulic system to engage and disengage the clutch disc: when the clutch hydraulic system compresses the clutch fingers, the other side (which is pressing the pressure plate onto the clutch disc) lifts up allowing the clutch and transmission to freewheel. This is how you can have the car running with the car in gear and come to a stop without stalling the engine.
The clutch hydraulic system has two hydraulic cylinders which are connected by hydraulic line or stainless steel braided hose. The first cylinder is called the clutch master cylinder, and it actuates when the driver presses down on the clutch pedal. The clutch pedal is connected to a lever which directly moves the master cylinder.
The master cylinder is connected by hydraulic line to a second cylinder, known as the slave cylinder. The slave cylinder is located in or near the transmission and is what actually compresses the clutch fingers of the diaphragm spring. The second hydraulic cylinder is called a slave because it simply recreates the motion performed by the master cylinder in another location via the hydraulic line: anything the clutch master cylinder does, the clutch slave cylinder does as well.
A bearing rides on top of the slave cylinder, which is called the throwout bearing. The throwout bearing is constantly in contact with the fingers of the diaphragm spring, and it is what pushes the clutch fingers down when the driver pressed the clutch pedal down.
Now you know how a clutch unit works in a manual transmission car!
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----------What to Watch Next----------
***Is Sim Drifting Realistic?***
10 Drift Techniques IRL vs in Simulator: youtu.be/8Ypg8AsyykE
IRL Drifter vs Fanatec Simulator: youtu.be/dYhC9GJsqRo
***Real Life Drifting***
Dry Tandems: youtu.be/bQJ5iMuFKns
Rain Tandems: youtu.be/N1D-155tyT8
Street Style Drift: youtu.be/872XeYG0Zxk
Stock Angle Rain Drift: youtu.be/uTx0hYg3Om0
Truck Rain Drift: youtu.be/l3BkvIoiq-E
***Support the Channel!***
Donate: streamelements.com/kametrick/tip
***Great Sim Hardware for Drifting (Affiliate links to Support the Channel)***
Thrustmaster Wheel and Pedal Kits:
TX: amzn.to/2Om08tS
T300: amzn.to/3b8tO7q
Fanatec Wheel and Pedal Kits:
CSL Elite: fanatec.com/us-en/racing-wheels-wheel-bases/racing-wheels/csl-elite-racing-wheel-officially-licensed-for-ps4
ClubSport: fanatec.com/us-en/racing-wheels-wheel-bases/racing-wheels/clubsport-racing-wheel-v2.5-gt-forza-motorsport-for-xbox-one
Shifters, Handbrakes and Accessories:
Thrustmaster Shifter: amzn.to/395onV4
Fanatec Shifter: fanatec.com/us-en/shifters-others/clubsport-shifter-sq-v-1.5
Fanatec Handbrake: fanatec.com/us-en/shifters-others/clubsport-handbrake-v1.5
Fanatec Xbox Wheel Adapter Hub: fanatec.com/us-en/steering-wheels/clubsport-steering-wheel-universal-hub-for-xbox-one
Load Cell pedals for CSL Elite: fanatec.com/us-en/pedals/csl-elite-pedals-lc
Fanatec ClubSport V3 Pedals: fanatec.com/us-en/pedals/clubsport-pedals-v3
#howclutcheswork #manualtransmission #savethemanuals
From the Engine to the Drive Wheels, learn how clutches work in 6 minutes. Explained by a motorsports driver and tuner!
Have you ever wondered how the clutch works in a manual transmission car or truck? The manual transmission clutch assembly has 3 key components: the flywheel, the clutch disc, and the pressure plate. These are bolted to the back of the engine via the crankshaft and transfer power to the drive wheels via the transmission.
The flywheel connects the clutch assembly to the engine by bolting to the crankshaft and it has a friction surface which the clutch disc presses against.
The clutch disc is the most complex component in the clutch assembly: it has a hub with a splined shaft that rides on the transmission, which is how power transfers to the drive wheels. The hub has springs in it to damped the shock of clutch engagement and disengagement. Finally, the clutch disc has a ring of friction material around the outside edge which is what presses on the flywheel and pressure plate.
The final component is the clutch assembly is the pressure plate, it has a friction surface similar to the flywheel which sandwiches the clutch disc in place. The other key component is the diaphragm spring, which looks like "fingers" in the center of the pressure plate. These are depressed by the clutch hydraulic system to engage and disengage the clutch disc: when the clutch hydraulic system compresses the clutch fingers, the other side (which is pressing the pressure plate onto the clutch disc) lifts up allowing the clutch and transmission to freewheel. This is how you can have the car running with the car in gear and come to a stop without stalling the engine.
The clutch hydraulic system has two hydraulic cylinders which are connected by hydraulic line or stainless steel braided hose. The first cylinder is called the clutch master cylinder, and it actuates when the driver presses down on the clutch pedal. The clutch pedal is connected to a lever which directly moves the master cylinder.
The master cylinder is connected by hydraulic line to a second cylinder, known as the slave cylinder. The slave cylinder is located in or near the transmission and is what actually compresses the clutch fingers of the diaphragm spring. The second hydraulic cylinder is called a slave because it simply recreates the motion performed by the master cylinder in another location via the hydraulic line: anything the clutch master cylinder does, the clutch slave cylinder does as well.
A bearing rides on top of the slave cylinder, which is called the throwout bearing. The throwout bearing is constantly in contact with the fingers of the diaphragm spring, and it is what pushes the clutch fingers down when the driver pressed the clutch pedal down.
Now you know how a clutch unit works in a manual transmission car!
Join the Kame Trick Crew:
Twitch at: twitch.tv/kametrick
Discord: discord.gg/ewCbs8T
Instagram: goo.gl/EFggGc
Youtube: goo.gl/S2o8sW
Facebook: goo.gl/NCjEAh
----------What to Watch Next----------
***Is Sim Drifting Realistic?***
10 Drift Techniques IRL vs in Simulator: youtu.be/8Ypg8AsyykE
IRL Drifter vs Fanatec Simulator: youtu.be/dYhC9GJsqRo
***Real Life Drifting***
Dry Tandems: youtu.be/bQJ5iMuFKns
Rain Tandems: youtu.be/N1D-155tyT8
Street Style Drift: youtu.be/872XeYG0Zxk
Stock Angle Rain Drift: youtu.be/uTx0hYg3Om0
Truck Rain Drift: youtu.be/l3BkvIoiq-E
***Support the Channel!***
Donate: streamelements.com/kametrick/tip
***Great Sim Hardware for Drifting (Affiliate links to Support the Channel)***
Thrustmaster Wheel and Pedal Kits:
TX: amzn.to/2Om08tS
T300: amzn.to/3b8tO7q
Fanatec Wheel and Pedal Kits:
CSL Elite: fanatec.com/us-en/racing-wheels-wheel-bases/racing-wheels/csl-elite-racing-wheel-officially-licensed-for-ps4
ClubSport: fanatec.com/us-en/racing-wheels-wheel-bases/racing-wheels/clubsport-racing-wheel-v2.5-gt-forza-motorsport-for-xbox-one
Shifters, Handbrakes and Accessories:
Thrustmaster Shifter: amzn.to/395onV4
Fanatec Shifter: fanatec.com/us-en/shifters-others/clubsport-shifter-sq-v-1.5
Fanatec Handbrake: fanatec.com/us-en/shifters-others/clubsport-handbrake-v1.5
Fanatec Xbox Wheel Adapter Hub: fanatec.com/us-en/steering-wheels/clubsport-steering-wheel-universal-hub-for-xbox-one
Load Cell pedals for CSL Elite: fanatec.com/us-en/pedals/csl-elite-pedals-lc
Fanatec ClubSport V3 Pedals: fanatec.com/us-en/pedals/clubsport-pedals-v3
#howclutcheswork #manualtransmission #savethemanuals
