In recent years, a requirement for improved anti-judder clutch characteristics, especially wet centrifugal clutches, has increased due to the growing motorcycle market in ASEAN region.
F.C.C. has been developing anti-judder friction material, one of the key factors in diminishing vehicle judder and improving clutch feeling. Performance tests of wet centrifugal clutches were generally conducted by on-vehicle test, which could be subjective and takes considerable amount of time.
In this study, in a case of wet centrifugal clutch it was succeeded to simulate the vehicle judder by using clutch unit tester quantitatively and the obtained results could be utilized as evaluation index for judder. And the index enabled us to develop new friction materials with better anti-judder performance, i.e. based on the index, effect of components of the friction material on judder was clarified and further the effect of engine oil/lubricant type before and after durability test for the clutch equipped with the friction material on judder were also clarified. This result made the development of friction material with anti-judder performance to be completed in a short time and successfully introduce them to the market.