When you drive a manual transmission, you will experience the thrill of being totally connected to your vehicle’s shifting power. To help maintain and care for your manual transmission, it is helpful to understand the components that make up this delicate and complex system. Here is a basic guide to the parts of your manual transmission:
Clutch
Drivers of manual transmissions are often most familiar with the clutch. The clutch is the component of the manual transmission that engages and disengages the engine with the transmission. When the clutch pedal is pressed down, the engine disengages, allowing the transmission to shift into higher and lower gears.
Shafts
A manual transmission contains several shafts that are connected by gears. In a rear wheel drive manual transmission, there are three shafts: the input shaft, layshaft, and output shaft. The input shaft is directly attached to the engine and turns at the same speed as the engine. The layshaft and gears are connected as one unit and are meshed with the gears of the input shaft. The output shaft is connected to the differential and relays power to the car’s wheels. If the differential fails, your wheels may slip or your transmission may not create enough power to move your vehicle.
Gear Selector Fork
The gear selector fork slides the gears on the layshaft. As the gears slide into position, the transmission is put into a higher or lower gear. If the gear selector fork engages or disengages the gears improperly, you may experience a grinding sensation as you shift into gear. If your gears grind together too often, the teeth can wear down and will need to be serviced.
For more information about the parts of your manual transmission, contact Casey Automotive. If your manual transmission is in need of service, our expert technicians will provide you with top quality parts and auto repair services. To schedule a transmission service appointment at our Arlington Heights location, give us a call at (847) 255-1900.