Method of loading a clutch pack into a clutch drum

A method of loading a clutch pack into a bowl-shaped drum of a clutch for a motor vehicle transmission,

• the drum including a cylindrical wall having an open end and a plurality of longitudinal spline grooves in the cylindrical wall facing a longitudinal centerline of the drum, and
• the clutch pack including a plurality of flat reaction plates each having a plurality of outside spline teeth thereon adapted for reception in respective ones of the longitudinal spline grooves and a plurality smaller flat friction plates stacked between the reaction plates,
• comprising the steps of:
• forming an annular seat on the cylindrical wall of the drum at the open end thereof interrupted by respective ones of a plurality of notches where respective ones of the longitudinal spline grooves in the cylindrical wall intersect the annular seat,
• supporting the drum with the open end of the cylindrical wall facing upward,
• stacking the clutch pack above the open end of the cylindrical wall in alignment with the annular seat and without regard to the angular orientation of the reaction plates relative to the spline grooves in the cylindrical wall of the drum,
• lowering the clutch pack by gravity toward the drum until the outside spline teeth on the bottom one of the plurality of reaction plates in the clutch pack engage the annular seat so that the clutch pack is supported on the annular seat with the plurality of reaction plates and the plurality of friction plates in parallel planes substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal centerline of the drum, and
• vibrating the drum at high frequency and low amplitude in the direction of the longitudinal centerline of the drum to induce rotation of the clutch pack on the annular seat while at the same time preventing lateral translation of the plurality of reaction plates and the plurality of friction plates so that the plurality of reaction plates and the plurality of friction plates descend by gravity and in succession into the drum as the outside spline teeth on succeeding bottom ones of the plurality of reaction plates attain registry with the notches in the annular seat.