What is Hydraulic Clutch? Construction and Operation of Hydraulic Clutch.



The hydraulic clutch is a system which operates on hydraulic fluid pressure for engaging and disengaging the clutch.

The hydraulic clutch is operated in a similar way as the vacuum clutch. Only the difference is that it is operated by fluid pressure whereas the vacuum clutch is operated by air vacuum.

Hydraulic Clutch
Hydraulic Clutches

Construction Of Hydraulic Clutch

The figure shows the mechanism of hydraulic clutches. It consists of a cylinder with a piston, control valve, pump, accumulator and oil reservoir. The piston is mounted on the clutch by a linkage. The pump is operated by the engine itself. The oil from the reservoir is pumped into the accumulator tank. The accumulator tank is linked to the cylinder through the control valve. The control valve is totally electrically controlled by a switch in the gear lever.


When the driver operates the gear lever to change the gears, a switch is operated to open the control valve allows the oil under pressure to the cylinder. Due to the oil pressure, the piston moves to cause the clutch to be disengaged. When the driver leaves the gear lever, the switch is open and it closes the control valve and the clutch is engaged.

Hydraulic Clutch
Hydraulic Clutches

Many late-model vehicles actuate the clutch system employing a hydraulic clutch piston chamber and slave Cylinder, instead of mechanical linkage. once the pedal is depressed, the pushrod on the piston chamber displaces fluid from the cylinder, through a tube, to the slave cylinder.

In most instances, the piston hooked up to the slave cylinder moves a unleash fork, attached to a release bearing, so as to disengage the clutch. On different systems, the slave cylinder piston pushes forward against a unleash bearing to disengage the clutch. Hydraulic systems square measure designed to cut back pedal effort and to modify installation by a lot of directly connecting the pedal to the clutch. They additionally eliminate the requirement for failure-prone things like come springs and cable mechanisms. as a result of hydraulic systems have inherent pedal travel already factored in, periodic adjustment is sometimes not needed.

Hydraulic Clutch
Hydraulic Clutches

Problems usually arise once either the piston chamber or slave cylinder leak hydraulic fluid attracts air or fails to take care of adequate pressure needed to disengage the clutch. If one in every one of the parts is broken or leaks, it ought to get replaced before new clutch parts square measure put in. On high mileage vehicles, it’s additionally advisable to interchange each part, notwithstanding just one of the parts seems broken. that is as a result of each parts square measure designed with similar expected service life.

The AMS hydraulic clutch program provides industry-leading coverage on about 100% of all applications. every SKU is listed aboard the opposite parts needed for an entire clutch system replacement. Application specific technical school bulletins and correct haemorrhage procedures are enclosed with several SKU’s. additionally, we have a tendency to use an “exact fit” approach, instead of hopping on “will fit aftermarket consolidations. This provides assurance of correct match with the opposite parts and eliminates the requirement to look multiple catalogues for the mandatory parts.


The hydraulic clutch system requires less effort of the driver for applying the clutch as compared to the conventional mechanical clutch system.


The entire hydraulic clutch system must be of leak-proof otherwise the fluid from the system leaks out and the clutch doesn’t work at all because of the whole system runs on hydraulic pressure.


  1. Motorcycle clutches.
  2. 1971 – 1976 Harley Davidson Ironhead.
  3. Chevrolet cars.

To know the difference between hydraulic clutch and cable clutch watch the video below:


Creative Blogger And Automobile Engineer.

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