Clutches

At Orca Clutch all of our clutches get the full attention of our engineers and are stripped down and cleaned, repaired or replaced parts are supplied and then the rebuild process. Each unit is machined and measured and then reset back to O.E specifications. Before the parts are supplied back to the customer they are checked for performance on our testing jigs and all units are checked for tolerances such as clamp and wear. That’s why we’ve taken the time and effort to ensure our production process is at the highest level possible. With our extensive experience and your satisfaction as our number one priority, rest assured your needs will always be met here.

Single plate clutch assembly

Most vehicles use a form of friction clutch which has all the normal components that you have probably seen or heard of before. Operated hydraulically or by a cable, a friction clutch uses a pressure plate, a clutch plate (or clutch disk) and a release bearing to engage and disengage the flywheel and the transmission. Most cars will use a simple single-plate clutch, with only higher powered engines needed a multi-plate clutch to engage the transmission properly.
When the clutch pedal is depressed, the release bearing applies a pressure to diaphragm springs on the pressure plate which releases a clamping pressure on the clutch plate and disengages the transmission from the flywheel.
As the gear change is made and the clutch is released, the release bearing is sent back from the pressure plate and the clutch plate is again clamped and driven by the pressure plate, allowing drive through to the transmission.

Uprated / Custom built clutches

To prevent slipping, high performance pressure plates have stiffer diaphragm springs to give the higher clamp load. The more clamping force, the harder the pressure ring smashes the disc to the flywheel and the less likely anything will slip. Most aftermarket clutches have a thicker diaphragm spring or a stock spring that is re-stamped more conically for more preload and/or heat treated for more spring. Some extreme clutches even have a double diaphragm spring which is usually two stock springs stacked on top of each other. Beware of going too crazy with clamping force; some clutches have so much clamping force that they can cause excessive wear on your crankshaft thrust bearings. A general rule of thumb is do not increase the clamp load more than 50% over stock.

Multiplate clutch assembly

With multiple friction plates stacked on top of each other, obvious benefits are that the amount of friction generated within the clutch can be greatly amplified and therefore it can cope with much higher torque inputs. Used in many racing cars including Formula 1 and WRC, the amount of friction needed to stop the clutch slipping can be fitted into the same diameter as a single-plate clutch due to the neat stacking.

Attention to detail

here at orca clutch our engineers pay extra care when handling all of our units. we deal with a lot of vintage/classic clutches, and in this day and age spare parts are uncommon or obsolete. therefor making sure to strip and clean all existing components and in some cases having to manufacture bespoke parts to fit. you can be rest assured that every clutch brought to us for reconditioning is in safe hands.

PLEASE NOTE: all of our units are service exchange so will require a serviceable unit in exchange.

Clutches: Features