OE and aftermarket component supplier Schaeffler is now incorporating a new judder damper into the design of some of the very latest clutch discs when specified by the vehicle manufacturer. The move is part of the company’s on-going philosophy of innovation aimed at improving driver and passenger comfort.

Judder from the vehicle drive train, which is caused by what engineers call excitation, can produce vibration and noises that may affect the comfort and drivability of the vehicle. Schaeffler say there are 3 types of excitation that are the root cause of judder, facing excitation which exists between two surfaces (such as the drive plate and clutch cover or flywheel), geometrical excitation caused by rotational anomalies such as gearbox to flywheel misalignment, and modulation excitation which is brought about by relevant movement between components such as excessive crankshaft end float.

Having studied these issues a team of LuK engineers came up with a solution called the judder damper. Essentially, the clutch disc has been enhanced by the inclusion of a centrally mounted weighted and sprung damping mechanism which provides an effective barrier that absorbs and eliminates drivetrain vibrations caused by excitation.

The ‘judder damper’ system works by adding a mass damper to the drive plate. The increased damper mass rotates due to inertia and changes the force required to turn it via a diaphragm spring and friction ring combination. This effect is entirely independent of any excitation torque and always provides the optimum level of damping required.

Tested over thousands of hours the new system provides a number of benefits such as, the Elimination of pedal vibration, a significant reduction in cabin noise, and a reduction in vibration levels to the drive train of more than 60%, meaning less component wear.

Many vehicles have already been equipped with a judder damper as original fitment and LuK can now deliver this latest technology direct to the aftermarket as a RepSet repair solution.