What Is A Wave Plate In An Automatic Transmission

A wave plate is an electronic component that changes the speed of a transmission when it is in reverse. There are two types of wave plates: passive and active. An ordinary plate can change speed by changing the shape of its surface.

When the plate is in motion, it moves this surface at a different rate from how it does when it is parked. When it is in reverse, this plate must be slower than what is mounted on another vehicle, so that when it comes back out, it can automatically slide into place in its designated spot.

There are two types of wave plates: passive and active. A passive one simply changes the way something else operates. The difference between the two lies in which part of the vehicle affects the plate to change speed.

Function of a wave plate

what is a wave plate in an automatic transmission

A wave plate is an automatic transmission part that alters the transmission speed when road conditions indicate a change in speed.

When there is a marked increase in smoothness or decrease in roughness, the transmission housing will shift more smoothly into that new speed level.

This occurs because the gears are slowed down by the moving plates, making it feel like there is more distance between each gear and how quickly you can change speeds.

This effect is known as smooth gear shifting. Some cars feature two separate wave plates to improve this effect, one for low and one for high gear speeds.

Affected cars may have a colored wave plate to indicate which speed it affects, or no special label at all.

Types of wave plates

what is a wave plate in an automatic transmission

There are two main types of wave plates used in transmissions: active and passive. A transmission with a wave plate uses the change in resistance caused by movement of the wheels to change gears.

When a wheel slips a small amount of rotational velocity, the wave plate on the gearbox changes shape and increase in diameter to shift gears. This adds some slight resistance, which varies depending on who makes your car!

Active wave plates are manually adjustable. These can be moved up or down by hand or automated systems, making them very complicated to install. Most automatic transmissions have some type of plate, but not all!

If you have trouble moving your transmission when it shifts with no movement of the wheels, then it might be affected by minor wave plate changes.

Size of a wave plate

A wave plate is a small metal disk that is placed in the transmission housing. When a vehicle is driving, the plate moves along with the vehicle and changes the gear ratio.

When a driver shifts into a higher gear, the plate moves a little bit more and changes to a lower gear. This happens because of the change in ratios.

When an auto trans shifts, it must have a wave plate to help with the new shifting process. It can be hard to spot if one is present or not, as most auto transes do not have prominent shift knobs.

A wave plate can make a big difference in how much torque your auto trans produces. Some newer auto transes have trouble producing enough torque without them.

Make sure you get the right one!

what is a wave plate in an automatic transmission

A wave plate is a device that allows your transmission to recognize and respond to objects in the road. It is typically used when there are large objects such as cars or people in front of the car that look like a wave.

When a person or object steps on the wave, the plate responds and changes the gear ratio! This technology is generally used when smaller sized obstacles such as tires or furniture would be needed to change gears.

It is important to get a genuine beetle wave plate because it helps with shifting and charging, both of which are hard parts to find. If you have an automatic transmission, spend some time finding the proper plate for your car.

Some vehicles do not require a new wave plate however due to old hardware being used. Make sure your vehicle does not need updating its hardware though.

How to replace a wave plate

what is a wave plate in an automatic transmission

A wave plate is a device that sits in between the transmission and the rear axle. It changes the travel of the rear wheel as you shift into a parking position.

When shifting into a parking position, the wave plate moves with your wheel. This alters the power distribution in your transmission as it shifts between first and second and reverse.

When moving in or out of gear, it remains stationary as it changes with your wheel. This ensures there is no interference from a gear change or movement of the wheel.

There are two types of wave plates: static and dynamic. Static waves plates do not move at all when you shift into a parking position. However, when moving, they must be replaced by removing and putting in new ones.

Tips for replacing a wave plate

what is a wave plate in an automatic transmission

A wave plate is an inexpensive add-on that can make your automatic transmission more efficient. To install a wave plate, you must first determine if your transmission has a low or high range.

A low range automatic transmission has a lower gear ratio than a standard gear. This means that it may require a higher amount of power to change gears. A high range automatic sedimentation filter (SDF) filter may be placed in the opposite direction of the standard filter.

To replace the plate in an automatic, there are two ways to do it. One way is to use an autolock kit, which is a set of tools that are sold with the transmission.

Wave plates and durability

what is a wave plate in an automatic transmission

Having a wave plate in your transmission can mean the difference between a smooth, comfortable shift and a sharp, jolt-filled transition. When this happens, you will know it!

It all starts with the tape that holds the transmission together. There are two of them on each side of the vehicle. One is white and the other is black.

When they are connected, they look like this:

The white one is the standard one and the black one is the special one for waves. The special one helps determine if your transmission has enough clearance to hold a wave plate without having to be cut into.

If it does not, then a piece of glass or quartz can be added to make it work! This allows people with more funds to have this installed.

Wave plates and cost

what is a wave plate in an automatic transmission

While not very important in the midst of a paragraph, readers should be familiar with the term cost. It can be, price
Paragraphs: Cost is a term that refers to the total amount of money you spend on your car. When it comes to automatic transmissions, more cost means more functionality.

At present, most costly transmissions come from German manufacturers like Bosch and Autoliv. These companies have long been known for their quality control, which is why old vehicles may still be using today’s cars.

If you are looking at new models which feature advanced technology such asactive suspension or electronic power steering (EPP), look for previous signs of cost.

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