Clutch mounting

[Divya Thomas]

I'm planning on using a pneumatic gear shifting system on the car this year with a pull cable for engaging the clutch.
I want to mount the clutch at the back of the steering wheel mounted on the steering column, but the clutch requires too much travel and which seems to be unfeasible.Else with lesser travel, the clutch is too stiff.Could anyone suggest a non hydraulic/pneumatic way in which I can increase the mechanical advantage of the clutch to reduce the travel, reduce the stiffness and make this arrangement a feasible option?

[Divya Thomas]

I'm planning on using a pneumatic gear shifting system on the car this year with a pull cable for engaging the clutch.
I want to mount the clutch at the back of the steering wheel mounted on the steering column, but the clutch requires too much travel and which seems to be unfeasible.Else with lesser travel, the clutch is too stiff.Could anyone suggest a non hydraulic/pneumatic way in which I can increase the mechanical advantage of the clutch to reduce the travel, reduce the stiffness and make this arrangement a feasible option?

[Jimmy01]

The short answer is NO. Without adding some form of power into the system that is not your hand the amount of force is always dictated by the clutch spring stiffness, required travel and the ratio between your hand and the clutch. Anything different you do between the clutch and your hand can only change the efficiency of the system

[M. Alzaibaq]

I'm just wondering if you meant engaging or disengaging the clutch.

Last year and the year before we have used electro-pneumatic system to perform the clutching and gear shifting. We are planning to use similar system this year as well. I can give you more details about what we have used if you are interested, let me know..

[tamir5005]

Why not using some sort of ignition cut to change gears without using the clutch?

[Bemo]

That's quite a different question as the ignition cut will only help you upshifting and you will still need a clutch actuation to start and stop the car.
I can just say that Jimmy is absolutely right. If there isn't anything which brings additional energy into the system, all the needed work has to be brought in by the driver. So if you want to reduce the needed force that will increase the needed way.
You could try to use a softer spring which closes the clutch, but very soon you will come to a point where the clutch will slip through and that's of course something you don't want to happen.
If you can't solve the problem with the high forces my advice is to use a clutch pedal. A driver can generate much higher forces by foot. If you have to pull the clutch for shifting that would be my preferred solution anyways as it is very dificult to use a hand lever for the clutch while shifting.

[murpia]

OK.

Assuming this is a motorcycle engine & clutch, the original bike had a hand operated clutch. If you copy the motion ratio and leverage of the bike clutch lever, you should be OK...

Note, it may not be a linear motion ratio!

Regards, Ian

[Mehul Botadra]

User a higher advantage ratio, might just work in your favour.