What
really happens when you press down the accelerator? How does the driveline get
torque? The Drive Train is doing this magic. So check out more about Drive
Train and its components @Parts Avatar.
car's Drive train
is quite confusing term in itself. The vehicle’s torque converter that is
located near the engine converts and transfers the force produced by the engine
as you accelerate or decelerate before sending it to the transmission. The
gears are changed accordingly and the power is sent to the wheels. This whole
process is controlled by the drivetrain.
The concept of
drivetrain is often confused with transmission. It is to be noted that both are
different terms. Transmission’s function is to keep the engine turning in time
with the wheels regardless of the gear it is in. drivetrain is everything
behind the transmission that controls the amount of torque being distributed to
wheels via engine.
The parts that make a
drivetrain are- Axle shafts, U-joints, the differential, the CV joints and
driveshaft. Let us read about these components in detail.
Drive
Shaft
car's Driveshaft
is a long tube made of steel that is linked to the car’s transmission at one
end and wheels at the other end. Automobile use shaft to deliver power from
transmission to the other end of the vehicle before it goes to the wheels. A
pair of short drive shafts is used to send power from differential,
transmission and transaxle to the wheels.
U-Joint
and Constant Velocity
U-joint is a flexible
pivot point that transmits power allowing varying angles of the driveshaft.
Constant velocity joints are the parts of the driveshaft that are designed to
bend in any direction while continuing to turn the drive wheels at a constant
velocity. Both U joints and CV joints transfer power to the components that
move with the suspension.
It is advised to follow
vehicle manufacturer’s instructions for better maintenance of both joints. Aftermarket
auto Ujoints and car's CVjoints are also available at cheap prices at parts avatar,
have a look.
Differential
Thedifferential of car is the last stop of power before
spinning the wheels. In auto mobiles, differential allows the outer drive wheel
to rotate faster than the inner drive wheel during a turn.
While taking a turn the
outside wheel cut a wider arc than the inside. The differential’s main function
is to make sure that the outside and inside wheels are allowed to turn at
different speeds while still supplying power to the wheels.
Differential consist of
large ring gear that meshes with a small pinion gear driven by the driveshaft.
Ring gear also spins a carrier containing perpendicular meshing spider gears
that allow the left or right axle shafts to spin independently. Parts avatar
offers good quality car's Differential ring and pinion parts.
Axle
shafts
Axle shafts are single
rotating shafts that deliver power from the final drive assembly to drive
wheels.
Symptoms
of Failing Drivetrain
- · Vibration and strange noises while shifting gears
- · Muddy and contaminated transmission fluid
- · Whining noise coming under the floor
- · Red fluid leakage under the car
How
the Drive train Works?
As we have understood the components of the drivetrain,
now it would be easy to know the working of drivetrain system.
Front
Wheel Drive
In the front wheel drive of car, the power flows from engine to the transmission
and then to the differential, which is integral to transmission in a front
wheel drive. Most front wheel drives are connected to axle half shafts via CV
joints for better sheering.
Vehicles working on
front wheel drive scenario provide more space for passengers and cargo. As the
weight is reduced, the fuel economy also increases so does the engine
performance. Due to the weight over the drivewheel, the wet weather traction is
also improved.
Vehicles with front
wheel drive system often get the problem of uneven wear on front tires and
suspension parts. It becomes quite complex for the mechanic to do the servicing
due to cramped space of engine compartment. The amount of power that is to be transmitted
to the front wheels is also limited.
Rear
Wheel Drive
Rear wheel drives use
driveshaft to send the power to the back wheels. The engine sends power via
driveshaft to the differential unit at the rear axle. The differential turns
the power in perpendicular direction and sends it to rear wheels.
The balanced
distribution of front and rear weight drive results in better handling. As the
weight is distributed evenly, the front tires are not bothered to steer and
pull the car hence resulting in less wear and tear of the tire.
The major disadvantage
of rear wheel drive is they provide poor wet traction and stability without
electronic controls. As compared to front wheel, the space is reduced for
passengers and cargo.
Four
Wheel drive and All Wheel drive
Power is sent to all
four wheels in four wheel drive of car. The transfer case distributes the
power to the front and rear differential and is either integral to the
transmission or a separate unit.
car's All wheel drivesystem allows the front and rear wheels to rotate at
different speeds. There is no room for driver interaction in this type of
drive. When the on board computer detects the wheel spinning, all wheel drive
is activated immediately. These systems feature less electronic intervention
than their part time counterparts.
The major advantage of
all and four wheel drive is they provide maximum traction on variety of
surfaces.
These systems are quite
costly and fuel economy is also not good in this.
Above knowledge is
quite sufficient for you. You should research thoroughly about drive trains
before buying a vehicle, as handling is the most important thing and steering
should be under your control.
If you wish to replace
or repair transmission and suspension parts, then visit Parts avatar
for better quality.
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