clutch heavy?

[Ken Keith]

I read a post explaining, or theorizing, that increased pedal effort
in worn clutches was the result of the thinner clutch plate changing
the angle and therefore leverage of the pressure plate fingers, and
not so much from a work hardening of the plate springs or sticking of
the guide tube.

That explanation makes sense to me.  A new, thick, clutch plate pushes
the pressure plate out past the point at which the springs have the
most leverage, so that the pedal action only moves it the last bit
where the fingers are almost parallel with the flywheel instead of
"coning" out like with a worn clutch.

However, I shared this explanation with an Audi tech friend of mine
and he rejected it, saying it was more because the guide tubes got
rough as they wore (and not even really the pressure plate work
hardening, which I think would be even more likely than the tube).  I
was suprised he didn't embrace the leverage theory.  But he's
surprised me before saying that a torn WG diaphragm can cause low
boost, so who knows.

I never tested the theory.  If I had unlimited labor I would install a
new disc with an old pressure plate and see what the pedal effort is
like, but of course I don't.

Does that theory makes as much sense to you guys as it does to me?

Cheers,

Ken

Ingo Rautenberg IRautenberg at comcast.net wrote:
<<
IME a heavy clutch is (usually) indicative of a clutch nearing the end of
it's life (more like the Pressure plate).  My clutch on the 200 was getting
very heavy until the clutch job -- then it was noticeably lighter.>>