Custom Fan Drive Clutch for School Bus Engine Cooling Fan

A major school bus OEM required a reliable compact electric clutch solution for the 24” dia. cooling fans on their diesel engines.

Warner Electric engineers worked closely with the customer to develop a custom version of the FC-550 electromagnetic on-off fan clutch with a torque rating of 150 ft.lb. to meet the specific application requirements. The revolutionary, compact 8”dia. fan clutch design provides the highest possible torque in a small package. The flange-mount design enables the on/off fan clutch to replace traditional viscous fan drives without adding axial length or changing fan location. Plus the unique clutch design makes installation quick and easy.

The clutches are “ON” only when required, so up to 20 horsepower is not needlessly wasted turning the fan. A fully disengaged fan clutch means improved fuel economy, quicker engine warm-up, increased engine performance, and reduced fan noise. Unlike viscous fan drives, which go from mostly off to mostly on based solely on ambient temperature, the efficient Warner Electric 12VDC fan drives are easily controlled using sensors and on-board controls.