Skoda 4×4 Winter Experience - How the multi-plate clutch works

The control unit regulates the speed of the drive pump in the multi-plate clutch. In addition to a piston pump, it consists of an electric motor and a control valve that controls the oil pressure in the main piston via the pump speed. The higher the pump speed, the more drive torque the multi-plate clutch can transmit to the rear wheels. When the pump speed is low, the clutch is open and the forces are transmitted mainly to the front axle under normal road conditions and requirements. In this case, the 4×4 model drives like a comparable front-wheel drive vehicle. If the system's sensors detect a change in the driving situation, for example due to a loss of traction on the front wheels, the oil pressure on the clutch plates is increased and the torque is thus variably transmitted to the rear wheels as well within milliseconds. If the front wheels can no longer build up grip, the multi-plate clutch shifts up to 90 percent of the drive torque to the rear axle and, if necessary, is even able to allocate up to 85 percent of the drive force to a single wheel. The electronic differential lock (EDS) on the front and rear axles also prevents individual wheels from spinning when there is insufficient grip by selectively braking the wheel concerned.