A transmission arrangement reduces internal stresses and friction within a coupling that links a shift operator with a counter-rotating clutch element of a dual clutch assembly. The shift operator, which interconnects the dual clutches, includes a gap in the connection between the clutches to interject a small degree of play between the clutch elements. The resulting clearance compensates for any adverse tolerance stack-ups which otherwise would produce significant friction between the coupling and the counter-rotating clutch element. The degree of play within the assembly, however, is not so large as to affect the smoothness of the transmission when shifting.