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AUTOMOBILE ENGINEERING
Presentation on
CHAPTER 4
Drive to Wheels and Tyres
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Drive line
• Group of parts connecting
the transmission with the
driving wheels.
• It consists of a drive shaft
or propeller shaft,
universal joints & half
shafts.
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Propeller shaft (Drive shaft/Cardan shaft)
• Transfers the power drive from the output shaft of the
gearbox to the rear axle (final drive).
• Propelling vehicle forward/reverse.
• Transmit power – gearbox to the rear axle with the
help of universal joints.
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Functions of Propeller shaft
• It transmits the rotary motion of the gearbox output
shaft to the differential and then to the wheels through
the axle shafts.
• It transmits motion at an angle that is varying
frequently.
• It accommodates changes in length between gearbox
and rear axle.
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Propeller shaft
• To adjust angular motion - Universal Joints are
provided.
• To adjust the change in length of the propeller shaft -
Slip Joint is provided.
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Propeller shaft
• The propeller shafts may be solid or tubular steel.
• The propeller shaft must withstand the torsional
stresses of the transmitting torque and longitudinal
sagging.
• Light weight to avoid vibration and whirling at high
speed.
• It is covered with a tube to protect it against
atmospheric exposure.
• In some applications, a bearing is provided at or near
the center to support the shaft.
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Hooke’s type Universal Joint
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Universal Joint
• The propeller shaft is provided with universal joints at
its ends.
• The universal joint connects two shafts whose axes
intersect and may assume different inclinations at
different times.
• This joint permits the rotation of one shaft about its
axis by another shaft that rotates about its own axis.
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Why two universal joints at the ends of a propeller shaft?
• The output shaft of a universal joint does not rotate
with uniform speed within one revolution of the shaft
when the input speed is uniform.
• The fluctuation in speed increases with increase in the
angle between the shafts.
• This effect can be canceled out by attaching one more
universal joint whose input speed fluctuates and the
output shaft rotates with uniform speed.
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Constant velocity joint
• In vehicles where the front axles are being driven,
regulation of rotation and transmission of torque at
large inclinations are vital.
• The inclination between the shafts may assume a
significant value (up to 40°). In such cases, constant
velocity universal joints are used.
• The constant velocity universal joint does not suffer
from the variation in the speed of the driven shaft.
• The speeds of the shafts connected by this joint are
equal.
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Constant velocity joint
• A constant velocity universal joint consists of two yokes with
oval races, four driving balls, a centre ball, a centre ball pin and a
retainer pin.
• The driving balls are freely mounted in the grooves. The centre
ball is secured on the pin in one of the yokes.
• In this unit, the balls are the driving contact. They move laterally
as the joint rotates.
• The movement of the balls permits the point of the driving
contact between the two halves of the coupling to remain in a
place that bisects the angle between the two shafts.
• By this arrangement, the fluctuation in the speed of the driven
shaft is avoided.
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Constant velocity joint
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Constant velocity joint
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Constant velocity joint
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Difference between CV and Universal joint
• CV joints will operate at a • Univ. joints will operate
much larger angle at a smaller angle
• More expensive • Less expensive
• Joint may operate 40° • Joint is limited to a 15°
deviation from a straight deviation from a straight
line line
• The effective life of a CV • The effective life of a U
joint will be shortened as joint is more.
joint angles increase.
• More maintenance cost • Less maintenance cost
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Difference between CV and Universal joint
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Differential
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Differential
• When a vehicle takes a turn, the outer wheels must
travel farther than the inner wheels.
• The front wheels can rotate freely on their axles and
thus can adapt themselves.
• However, both rear wheels are driven by the engine
through gearing. Therefore, some sort of automatic
device is necessary so that the two rear wheels are
driven at slightly different speeds. This is accomplished
by fitting a differential gear on the rear axle.
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Differential
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Differential
Functions
• Transfers power from the driveshaft to the wheels.
• Provides final gear reduction.
• Splits the amount of torque going to each wheel.
• Allow the wheels to rotate at different speeds in turns.
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Differential
Working
• When a car turns a corner, one wheel is on the "inside"
of a turning arc, and the other is on the "outside."
• Consequently, the outside wheel must turn faster than
the inside one to cover a greater distance in the same
amount of time. Thus, because the two wheels are not
driven at the same speed, a differential is necessary.
• A car differential is placed halfway between the driving
wheels, on either the front, rear, or both axes.
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Differential
Working
• The differential mechanism basically allows each wheel
to spin freely of the other while providing power to
both. If one wheel is spinning too slowly the
mechanism will keep driving the other one without any
skidding.
• In this situation, the slow one is the inner wheel and
the one spinning more quickly is the wheel on the
exterior of the turning radius.
• Torque is not lost, and the tires aren’t shredded every
time you make a turn.
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Differential
Working
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Driving Thrust
• The driving torque produced in the engine is primarily
responsible for producing driving thrust in the rear
road wheels.
• It must be transferred from the rear axle housing to the
chassis frame.
• It can be accomplished through, either
(i) A strong rear springs,
(ii) A thrust-taking member such as radius rod.
• When springs are used to serve this purpose, they are
made strong enough in addition to their springing
action.
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Driving Thrust
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Torque Reaction
• If the Rear axle is held rigidly when the road wheels are
prevented from rotation, (due to driving needs or road
conditions) the bevel pinion of the final drive tends to
rotate around the crown wheel.
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Torque Reaction
• It produces a tendency in the whole vehicle to rotate
about the rear axle or to lift off the front of the vehicle.
This effect is known as torque reaction.
• This gives rise to a force on the axle casing, which tries
to rotate it.
• This effect must be resisted, to avoid the immense
stress on springs, frames, and/or the propeller shaft.
• Torque members provided with one of these
(i) The stiffened rear springs
(ii) Radius rod
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Braking Torque
• The axle casing experiences the ‘brake torque’ when
the brakes are applied to the vehicle.
• The brake torque is produced in a direction opposite to
the torque-reaction, since the braking effect is reverse
of the driving effect.
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Braking Torque
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Hotchkiss Drive
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Hotchkiss Drive
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Hotchkiss Drive
• It was the dominant form of power transmission
for front-engine, rear-wheel drive layout cars.
• In a Hotchkiss layout, the axle is suspended by a pair of
longitudinally mounted semi-elliptical leaf springs,
which serve to locate the axle, as well as support the
weight of the body. During normal power transmission,
the acceleration and braking shocks are taken up by
the leaf spring.
• The propeller shaft is provided with universal joints at
its ends. The universal joints connect two shafts whose
axes intersect and may assume different inclinations at
different times. 36 of 62
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Hotchkiss Drive
• The front end of the spring is fixed rigidly on the frame,
while the rear end is supported in the shackle.
• The front portion of each spring functions like a trailing
arm and transmits drive torque to the body.
• The rear portion of the spring acts as a leading arm,
resisting wheel hop under braking.
• The stiffness of the springs also serves to resist lateral
motions. By making the springs perform multiple
duties, the drive is simple, and thus very cheap.
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Torque Tube Drive
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Torque Tube Drive
• Large Diameter tube fastened securely to the rear axle
housing and completely enclosing the propeller shaft.
• The torque tube is fitted into a ball-socket universal
joint. These two units carry their respective loads while
allowing suspension flexibility.
• The suspension leaf springs are bolted to the spring
seats provided on the axle casing. Each end of the
springs is shackled to the frame.
• The torque tube drive permits the use of either ‘softer’
springs or another form of spring, like helical springs, to
perform their only intended duty so that a ‘softer’ ride
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Torque Tube Drive
• The tubular member will transmit the thrust from the
axle to the frame and take the torque reaction. Often,
radius rods assist the torque tube to take the twist and
thrust of the vehicle drive.
• Normal engine power transmission is through the
propeller shaft.
• Braking and acceleration torque are absorbed by the
torque tube.
• With this construction, the centre line of the final drive
bevel pinion shaft will always pass through the centre
of the spherical cup.
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Torque Tube Drive
• Now, if the propeller shaft is connected to the gear box
shaft by a universal joint situated exactly at the centre
of that cup, no other universal joint will be needed and
no sliding joint will be necessary.
• This is because both pinion shaft and propeller shaft
will move about the same centre, namely that of the
spherical cup, when the axle moves up and down.
• In this system, the spring seats are sometime pivoted
to the axle casing by means of spherical pivots. This
relieves the springs of twisting stresses when the axle
assumes angular positions relatively to the frame.
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Torque Tube Drive
• In one design, however, two extra heavy radius rods
(called rear axle support arms) are used in place of the
torque tube to take the thrust. They are connected
between the rear axle housing and the section of the
car frame. An open propeller shaft and two universal
joints are used with this design.
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Comparison: Hotchkiss drive and Torque tube drive
Description Hotchkiss drive Torque tube drive
Number of universal Joints Two One
Slip Joint in Propeller shaft Needed Not Needed
Posture of Propeller Open Enclosed within the
torque tube
Effect on Propeller shaft Can bend, length changes Cannot bend, no change
in length
Spring support One end is fixed, and the Both the ends are
other end is shackled shackled
Load on spring Torque and brake Side thrust only
reactions, driving and side
thrusts
Effect on final drive shaft Position alters No shift in position
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Side Thrust
• The rear axle is invariably subjected to side thrust (or
pull) when the rear wheels experience any side load.
• Such a situation arises due to cornering force when the
vehicle is negotiating a curve or when the vehicle is
moving over uneven ground.
• To combat the side thrust and to hold the axle in its
desired position, the following provisions are made.
i. Taper roller or ball-thrust bearings are used for the
rear wheel, and
ii.‘Panhard rod’ is used between the axle casing and
the frame.
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Panhard rod
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Rear Axle
• Must withstand
‐ Shearing force due to vehicle weight.
‐ Bending moment due to the offset of the wheel and
the suspension.
‐ End thrust due to the side forces due to cornering,
side wind etc.
‐ Bending moment due to end thrust and reaction
from the tires.
‐ Driving torque.
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Rear Axle
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Rear Axle
Types
• Semi-floating axle
• Full floating axle
• Three quarter floating axle
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Semi-floating axle
• The wheel hub is connected directly to the rear axle.
• All the loads are taken by the rear axle (Shearing,
Bending, End thrust, Driving torque and brake torque).
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Semi-floating axle
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Semi-floating axle
Advantages
• The semi-floating axle is the simplest, cheapest and
they are widely used in cars.
Disadvantages
• The axle must be designed for carrying higher loads i.e.
they are of larger diameter for the same torque
transmitted by other types of axle supporting.
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Three-quarter floating axle
• The bearing is mounted between the axle and the axle
casing.
• The axle shaft must take drive torque and the end
loads.
• The axle casing will take bending and shearing forces.
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Three-quarter floating axle
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Three-quarter floating axle
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Three-quarter floating axle
Advantages
• At one time, this axle type was commonly used for cars
and light commercial vehicles.
Disadvantages
• These axles are no longer preferred. Instead, semi-
floating axles are used.
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Full floating axle
• The wheels hubs are mounted directly onto the axle
casing and are supported by two taper roller bearings.
• The load on the axle is very less. It need to take only
the drive torque.
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Full floating axle
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Full floating axle
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Full floating axle
Advantages
• These are very robust types and are used for heavy
vehicles.
• Axle shafts carry only the drive torque, so their failure
does not affect the vehicle wheels.
• Vehicle can be towed with the broken axle shaft.
• The axle shaft can be replaced without jacking.
Disadvantages
• Costliest type of axle supporting.
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Comparison
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