A flexplate or flex plate is a metal disk that connects the output from an engine to the input of a torque converter in a car equipped with an automatic transmission.[1] It takes the place of the flywheel found in a conventional manual transmission setup.

Design

The name refers to the ability of the disk to flex along its main axis to account for gear changes and/or small misalignments as rotational speeds change.[2] Flexplates are generally much thinner and lighter than flywheels not only because of the required flexibility, but also due to the smoother coupling action of the torque converter[3] and the elimination of the clutch surface.[4]

Like a flywheel, a flexplate normally handles coupling to the starter motor via gear teeth cut along its outer edge. These teeth give the flexplate a gear-like appearance in spite of this being a secondary function.

Construction

Flexplates come in many forms, but are usually either stamped steel (for road cars), a machined two-piece billet (for race cars), or a machined one-piece billet (for high-performance drag racers).[5]

See also

References

  1. ^ Zhang, Da Ke; Wang, Chong; Yang, Yi Chao; He, Han (January 2013). "The Layout Optimization for Axial Stiffness of a Flexplate Disk with Weight and Inertial Moment Constraints". ResearchGate.
  2. ^ "Flex plate – What Does It Do?". Guard My Ride. 2022-09-26. Retrieved 2023-10-23.
  3. ^ South African Automotive Light Vehicle Level 4. Jones & Bartlett Learning. 2013-06-15. ISBN 978-1-4496-9788-4.
  4. ^ "How an Engine Flex Plate Works". www.2carpros.com. Retrieved 2023-10-23.
  5. ^ Patterson, Jeremy (2015-11-23). "Flexplate Technology And Choosing The Flexplate For You". Dragzine. Retrieved 2023-10-23.
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