Date:         06 Dec 96 06:38:34 PST
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         CARVER_JEFFREY@aphub.aerojetpd.com (Jeff Carver)
Subject:      Re: Self Adjusting Clutch

Ken queries -
> Ok ; I'll bite . What is a self adjusting clutch?

At the risk of NOT being taken seriously, being Friday now, here's 
the scoop.  From the Dec 2, 1996 issue of Design News, one of the 
better trade rags.

LuK has redesigned the traditional clutch finger to pressure plate 
arrangement.

They have managed to add an additional *sensor spring* in there that 
essentially acts as a lever arm to compensate for the wear on the 
clutch disc.

What this means to us, is that as the clutch wears we do NOT have to 
keep adjusting our clutch cables, with this design.  The pressure 
required to push on clutch remains essentially the same throughout the 
life of the clutch.

And according to the article, there is usually an amount of useable 
clutch pad material remaining after the wear reaches a point that the 
fingers cannot adequately maintain pressure.  This design results in 
longer clutch life too.

Nifty kewel stuff.

Doug, keep us posted on your interrogation, uh, inquisition, uh, kindly 
questioning of your LuK employed acquaintances.

Ah, this list is great, I knew (you can see it coming) that someone, 
(it's almost here) would live, know something about (real close now) 
or have contacts with LuK (here it comes) and come through in the
clutch (groan).

I'll keep checking the Design News site, they should be posting this 
article in the near future, and let you all know when it's available.

- Jeff
'80 Westi (I have hydraulic clutch actuation, no cable)
Someone out there hates hydraulic clutch actuation, I would like to 
know why, and have you retrofitted?