Running without ESA
- Thread starter Howard
- Start date
I meant to put "modern motor cars" in my previous post. The last time I remember working on a car clutch was when I had to change the clutch in my Triumph TR6 back in the 70's. That clutch plate had springs on the splined centre connecting it to the friction part. Lots of cars now have front wheel drive. Do their clutches have this spring type shock absorber? My VW has two clutches.No way am I ever going to look inside that.
My '66 TR4A had springs in the disk as does my '70 MGBGT. My 2006 Pontiac Solstice also has springs in the disk as did my 1991 S-10. My '67 Ossa 175 has the same type of ESA arrangement as a Vincent, where as my '67 Moto Guzzi has the ramped lobes arrangement on the main shaft of the gearbox. Later Guzzis have either a cush drive hub in the rear wheel or spring in the friction disk like a car. My '95 Triumph Sprint has a cush drive rear wheel. I'm becoming of the opinion that location is not that important, but having one is. The deciding factors for location are probably where the shock load to the drive train is envisioned, cost, and complexity. The drive line engineers want the best possible arrangement so the drive line is protected, take is smooth, and the ride is nice. The manufacturing engineers want the least complex thing to make, and the bean counters want the cheapest to maximize return for investment.
Steven
Back in the 60s or 70s one member sacrificed the chain side brake drum on his Touring Rapide and re-engineered the brake drum as a Royal Enfield type rubber cushdrive used in addition to the standard ESA. It was reputedly very smooth. It was featured in MPH with photos. I don't know the number as my MPH collection is 140 miles away.
a very tiny or short forgiving travell of such a cushion would be enough, remember F=M x A
10 degree would be quite enough,
just to take the peaks out
10 degree would be quite enough,
just to take the peaks out
Yes, these days most if not all cars have dual mass flywheels ( DMF) which incorporate shock absorbing. These are essentially two flywheels, one directly connected to the crank, the second runs on a bearing concentric to and part the first, relative motion between the two being controlled by springs . The second (gearbox side) is where the diaphgram clutch is mounted. The clutch plates in these installations are plain ie no springs.
They(DMF) are suceptible to damage and wear caused by slipping the clutch and other forms of abuse so when you have clutch issues they are usually replaced along with the clutch. Typically this can cost £1000 to £1500
Thats why most motor factors sell kits to replace the junk dual mass efforts for regular clutches.
I've been a victim of these DMFs. They seem like one step forward and two back - technologywise.
On our Jaguar there's even rubbers in the belt crank pulley, ours went so that was a new pulley, belt, tensioner and alternator as it shook the diodes loose inside, plus labour, we've had to have a new DMF as well, both within a short time, 64k mls
That's a crankshaft damper, they aren't new, my 63 Corvette ( in my avatar) hads one. The Corvette was factory fitted with an L76 engine high compression and high reving ( 6,500 compared to standard around 4 something). These are a weighty disc bonded to the boss which holds it to the crankshaft. On the vette, the timing marks are on this disc, over time the rubber takes up a permanent set which is enough if you rely on them to cause the ignition timing to be set wrongly. This wouldn't happen on a modern car with an ECU
. . . did you say DumbAss Flywheel?
The Vette front pulley thingie is called a Harmonic Balancer or Vibration Damper. Common on American V8s and such. Have seen them on Mercedes, too. I believe they are utilized to reduce the occurrence of stress cracks in the crankshaft.
The Vette front pulley thingie is called a Harmonic Balancer or Vibration Damper. Common on American V8s and such. Have seen them on Mercedes, too. I believe they are utilized to reduce the occurrence of stress cracks in the crankshaft.