Clutch activation - Hydraulic

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Hydraulic clutch control systems are fairly simple. They consist of a master cylinder that is connected to the clutch pedal via a pushrod, and a slave cylinder that acts on the clutch via a linkage or control arm, commonly known as a clutch fork since it resembles a fork with two tines.

How Does A Hydraulic Clutch Control System Work?

When the clutch pedal is depressed, a moving piston in the master cylinder displaces a quantity of brake fluid into the slave cylinder. The displaced fluid pushes on a moving piston in the slave cylinder, which then acts on the clutch fork, which in turn, acts on the clutch release bearing to disengage the clutch. The opposite happens when the clutch pedal is released; the fluid returns to the master cylinder reservoir as a result of the pressure plate diaphragm pushing against the release bearing, which action reverses the direction of flow in the hydraulic system when pressure is removed from the clutch pedal.