Accessible clutch attachment assembly and method

An assembly comprising:

• an engine compartment enclosure at least partially surrounding an engine compartment;
• an engine positioned at least partially within the engine compartment enclosure;
• a clutch assembly mounted on or near the engine that accepts torque input from the engine, the clutch assembly comprising:
• a journal bracket having a center shaft;
• a drive feature rotatably supported on the center shaft of the journal bracket, wherein the drive feature is selected from the group consisting of a pulley, a sprocket, and a gear;
• a clutch pack, wherein the clutch pack is controllable to selectively transmit at least a portion of the torque input received by the clutch assembly during operation between an input and an output;
• a stub shaft attached to the clutch pack;
• a removable connection engaged between the drive feature and the stub shaft such that torque is transmittable through the removable connection during operation of the clutch assembly;
• a face seal carried by the journal bracket;
• a floating seal carried within the stub shaft;
• and
• a perpendicular engagement feature on the stub shaft configured to accept a tool to engage and disengage the removable connection, wherein the perpendicular engagement feature is selected from the group consisting of a slot for a pin spanner wrench and a wrench flat, and wherein the perpendicular engagement feature is exposed to line-of-sight access from a location substantially perpendicular to an axis of rotation of the clutch pack;
• and
• a fan carried by the clutch pack.

A method for performing maintenance or repair on a fan clutch assembly that selectively transmits torque to a fan and is mounted within an engine compartment, the method comprising:

• engaging a tool with one or more perpendicular access features on the fan clutch assembly from a location (L) with substantially perpendicular line-of-sight access from outside the engine compartment, wherein the location (L) extends through an axial gap that adjoins a stub shaft between the drive feature and the clutch pack;
• disconnecting a common unit that includes the stub shaft and a clutch pack from a drive feature that accepts a torque input to the fan clutch assembly to disengage a removable connection using the tool, wherein a journal bracket of the fan clutch assembly remains secured to a mounting location within the engine compartment when the common unit is disconnected from the drive feature, and wherein the drive feature is selected from the group consisting of a pulley, a sprocket, and a gear;
• performing a repair or replacement operation on at least one component of the fan clutch assembly while the common unit is disconnected from the drive feature and the removable connection is disengaged;
• and
• re-connecting the common unit to the drive feature to re-engage the removable connection after performing the repair or replacement operation.