Clutch Assembly Performance Enhancement Apparatus and Method

A kit for improving the performance of a clutch assembly, the clutch assembly comprising an input housing configured to receive an interleaved stack of plural friction elements and plural steel plates through an open end of said housing, said kit comprising:

• an apply-plate having an annular recessed face disposed on a surface of said apply-plate, said apply plate positioned to cooperate with an apply-ring, the apply-ring disposed within the input housing;
• at least one steel plate configured and dimensioned to be received through said open end of said housing and disposed in mating relationship with a terminal one of said plural friction elements;
• at least one friction disk configured and dimensioned to be received through said open end of said housing and disposed in mating relationship with said at least one steel plate to form in combination with said plural friction elements and plural steel plates an extended interleaved stack, with said at least one friction disk forming a new terminal friction element;
• and
• a retaining ring configured and dimensioned to be secured over said open end of said housing and including an integrally formed, annular inner friction surface adapted to confront the new terminal friction element to directly receive forces applied through the clutch assembly.

A method of improving the performance of a clutch assembly, the clutch assembly comprising a stack of interleaved plural friction disks and plural steel plates, and a housing configured to receive an interleaved stack of plural friction elements and plural steel plates through an open end of said housing, said method comprising:

• fabricating a receiving surface on the open end of the housing;
• inserting at least one additional friction disk into the clutch assembly housing, the additional friction disk configured and dimensioned to be received through said open end of said housing and disposed in mating relationship with said at least one steel plate to form in combination with said plural friction elements and plural steel plates an extended interleaved stack, with said at least one friction disk forming a new terminal friction element;
• inserting at least one additional steel plate into the clutch assembly configured and dimensioned to be received through the open end of the housing and disposed in mating relationship with a terminal one of the plural friction elements;
• and
• enclosing the receiving end of the clutch assembly housing using a retaining ring mounted to the receiving surface, a friction surface formed on an inner side thereof and adapted to directly receive forces applied through the clutch assembly.