Many people have opt to drive automatic transmission vehicles ever since 1940, when automatic transmission were first manufactured. It was very easy to handle such vehicles because shifting gears are easier. But there are still some people who still prefers to drive vehicles with manual transmission.
The main difference between a manual and automatic transmission is the presence of another clutch pedal. For the Swedish automaker, Volvo, they can always rely on Volvo clutch to give quality performance in their cars whether it be on a manual or automatic transmission. The clutch is needed because it helps stop the vehicle without turning off the engine by controlling the slippage between the spinning engine and the non spinning transmissions.
Volvo clutch works through a friction between a clutch plate and a flywheel. When the clutch pedal is pressed, a cable or hydraulic piston pushes on the release fork. This would then press the throw-out bearing against the middle of the diaphragm spring. As the middle of the diaphragm spring is pushed in, a series of pins near the outside of the spring causes the spring to pull the pressure plate away from the clutch disc. It will then release the clutch from the spinning engine. When one's foot is off the pedal, the springs push the pressure plate against the clutch disc, which presses against the flywheel. Locking the engine to the transmission input shaft, this will cause them to spin at the same speed. The amount of force the clutch can hold depends on the friction between the clutch plate and the flywheel, and how much force the spring puts on the pressure plate.
Although built to be durable, encounters some problem too. Such as the eventual wearing out of the frictional material on the clutch disc. When most of the friction material is gone, the clutch will start to slip and eventually it won't transmit any power from the engine to the wheels. Since an efficient clutch is necessary for a car to run properly, it is recommended that they are checked once in a while.
