Manual transmission System

In this system, the driver must select gears manually by operating the gear stick and clutch.
The basic function of the transmission is to control the speed and torque of the vehicle in
different driving conditions. Basically, the manual transmission works on the principle
of gear ratio. A lower gear ratio means more torque but less speed, while a higher gear ratio
means less torque but high speed.
Reason for implementing manual transmission system - High torque is required to start the
vehicle from rest, accelerating, hill climbing, pulling a load and facing other resistances. But
the IC engine operates over a limited effective speed range which produces a comparatively
low torque. In such a situation, the engine is responsible for the stall and the vehicle rests if
the speed falls below the limit. The torque developed by the engine is increasing within limits
with the increase of engine speed and reaches a maximum value at some predominant speed.
If the engine directly connects to the driving axle, the engine speed may reduce. Due to the
variable nature of the vehicle resistance resulting in load and gradient changes, it requires that
the engine power should be available over a wide range of road speeds. Hence, for this
reason, the engine speed maintains by using a gear reduction resulting in the road wheels
rotating at a proper speed suited to the operating conditions of the vehicle.

GEARBOX
The gearbox is a mechanical device used to increase the output torque or to change the speed.
A gearbox contains gears of different sizes. Furthermore, the first gear is the biggest in a
gearbox and provides maximum torque output while producing minimum speed. Hence, the
drivers use it when climbing slopes. All the gears between 1st and last gear vary in size, in a
decreasing ratio. Thus, it provides a varying combination of pulling ability and speed. So, you
could drive the vehicle smoothly without any drop in its acceleration. The gearbox, basically,
improves the vehicle’s driveability in all conditions.

THE NECESSITY OF GEARBOX

To maintain engine speed on all conditions of load and vehicle speed, the gearbox uses a
system to maintain engine speed, while sacrificing the same road speed. To enable the engine
to run faster on-road wheels as well as to multiply the torque, a gearbox is required.
PARTS OF GEARBOX
1. CLUTCH SHAFT / DRIVING SHAFT / INPUT SHAFT
A clutch shaft is a shaft that takes power from the engine to supply another shaft. The clutch
shaft or driving shaft and main shaft are in the same line.
2. COUNTER SHAFT / LAYSHAFT
The counter shaft is a shaft that has gear which connects it to the clutch shaft as well as the
main shaft. It can be run at engine speed or below engine speed according to gear ratio.
3. MAIN SHAFT / OUTPUT SHAFT
The main shaft or output shaft that rotates at different speeds and also provides the necessary
torque to the vehicle. The output shaft is a splined shaft, so that the gear or synchronizer can
be moved to engage or disengage.
4. BEARINGS
The bearings are required to support the rotating part and reduce friction. The gear box has
both a counter and main shaft which is supported by the bearing.
5. GEARS
Gears are used to transmitting the power from one shaft to another shaft. The amount of
torque transmitted through the gears depends on the number of teeth and the size of the gears.
Higher the gear ratio, higher the torque / acceleration and lower the speed. All gears except
those on the main shaft are fixed to their respective shafts; they can slide in any of the
directions along the shaft.
6. GEAR SELECTOR FORK
Gear selectors are simple devices that use a lever that selects gears to engage in disengage
mechanisms.

How Gear Ratio Works?

The ratio of the number of rotations of output gear to the number of rotations of input gear is
called the Gear Ratio. The working of gear ratio in a manual transmission is explained below:
 N – Neutral Gear: In neutral gear, the vehicle remains stationary and there is no
coupling attachment in the transmission which means no power is transmitted.
 First Gear: A small gear is locked with the lay shaft. Rotation is transmitted to the
main shaft by a single gear of the input shaft and to the lay shaft through a gear of
either the first or two gears.
 Second Gear: First gear speed is already allowing the car to accelerate, and it makes
for a smoother shift to second gear.
 Third Gear: In the third gear, the forward speed increases more but the torque is
reduced.
 Fourth Gear: The fourth gear is direct drive. This means that the input shaft and main
shaft are locked together to give a high amount of power to the engine.
 Reverse Gear: An idler gear is placed between the gears on the two shafts, causing the
main shaft to reverse direction.
Types of Gearbox:
In general, there are mainly four categories of an automotive gearbox:
1. Manual – With up to 6 forward gears in a car and up to 13 forward gears in a
truck.
2. Fully Automatic Transmission – up to 10 speed.
3. Continuously Variable Transmission – CVT.
4. Automated Manual Transmission (AMT) – up to 5 speed.
5. Dual Clutch Transmission – (DCT).

According to the shifting mechanism, manufacturers further classify the automotive

gearboxes into three more categories:
1. Sliding mesh – typically used in two-wheeler/bikes
2. Constant-mesh – typically used in old generation trucks
3. Synchromesh – used in the newer generation cars & trucks

Advantages of Manual Transmission

1. With fewer moving parts, a manual transmission can easily fit in your budget
which means less expensive to purchase.
2. These are easier to maintain because they are less complicated than automatics
and less likely to go wrong.
3. When you go down a hill, you can shift your car into neutral. That means less
power goes to engine, the less fuel will burn. So better gas mileage can be
achieved.
4. Since manual transmissions have fewer moving parts, repair costs are
significantly lower.
5. By using engine oil, it wears out less quickly and doesn’t need to be changed
frequently.
6. If you have a vehicle with a manual transmission, you’ll get into fourth or fifth
gear as quickly as possible and drive at higher speeds.
Disadvantages of Manual Transmission
1. Manual transmission is rarely available in the market due to the widespread
use of automatic vehicles.
2. Learning to drive a vehicle with a manual transmission can be a difficult or
challenging task.
3. When you drive a car with a manual transmission, the clutch is likely to wear
out, requiring a high repair cost to replace it.
4. Driving up on hills can be risky and difficult if not prepared.
5. In heavy-traffic situations, frequent stopping or starting and changing gears
manually can make driving difficult.
Sliding mesh gear box
Sliding mesh gearbox is a transmission system that consists of various sets of gears and shafts
that are arranged together in an organised fashion and the shifting or meshing of different
gear ratios is done by the sliding of gears towards right and left over the splined shaft with the
help of a gear lever operated by the driver.

Components of a Sliding Mesh Gearbox:

Sliding mesh gearbox consists of three shafts. Main shaft is the shaft over which the sets of
gears with internally splined grooves are arranged in an organised fashion. The outer surface
of this shaft is made splined so that the gears can easily slide over this shaft in order to mesh
with the appropriate gear. Clutch shaft is the shaft that is used to carry engine output to the
transmission box, gear or a pair of gear is mounted over this shaft. Lay shaft is the shaft
having gears mounted over its outer surface and is in continuous rotation with the clutch shaft
as one gear of this shaft is always in contact with a gear on the clutch shaft. It is used as an
intermediate shaft that provides the meshing of the gears of the main shaft in order to transmit
appropriate output to the final drive. Generally Spur Gears are used in this type of gearbox.
Gear lever is the selecting mechanism operated by the driver in order to select the appropriate
gear ratio; this liver is connected to the main shaft along with the selector forks.

The clutch shaft contains the main drive gear A, which rotates at the speed of the clutch shaft.
The main drive gear is in constant-mesh with counter shaft (lay shaft) drive gear B. Since all
the gears on the lay shaft are rigidly fixed, they also rotate along with the clutch shaft. The
main shaft is held in line with the clutch shaft. All the gears on main shaft can be slide back
and forth on the main shaft spines using shifting forks.
It has its own disadvantages like we have to move the gears axially to engage or disengage of
gears for speed change. To move the gears axially we have constrained to use only spur gear
pair for this application of gearbox. Another engagement of the gears pair or changing the
speed of gears is very difficult. We have to equalise the speed of both the gears and after that
we can shift the gears otherwise the gears got damaged.
Constant mesh gear box:
It this gearbox, all the gears are in constant mesh with each other all the time. Constant mesh
gear box consists two dog clutches. These clutches are provided on the main shaft, one
between the clutch gear and the second gear and the other between the first gear and reverse
gear. . The dog clutch is shifted by the selector fork moved by gear lever. When the left side
dog clutch is made to slide left by means of gearshift lever, it meshes with the clutch gear and
the vehicle runs on top speed. If this clutch slide right and mesh with second gear, then the
vehicle runs on second gear speed. So in constant mesh gear box we can change the gear ratio
by shifting the dog clutch. The gears are rigidly fixed in the lay shaft. The gears in output
shaft rotate freely without engaging with shaft, thus not transmitting power. The gears in both
shafts are always meshed together. To provide reverse gearing an idler gear is used.

Dog clutches are the special shifting devices responsible for transmitting appropriate
gear ratio to the final output. Two types of gears are used that are helical gears & Bevel
gears with conical cross-section. The arrangement of both reverse, as well as forward gears is
present. Gear lever is the lever used for shifting or sliding the dog clutches over main shaft
and is operated by the driver.

Working of Constant Mesh Gearbox

Since the gear of the main shaft are in constant mesh with the appropriate gear of the lay shaft
,so the selection of 1, 2, 3 , 4 and reverse gear is obtained with the sliding and meshing of the
dog clutches with the appropriate pair of gears and process is as follows-

 First gear: It is the gear which provides maximum torque and minimum speed to the final
output shaft. when the driver select the 1 gear by pushing or pulling the gear lever the dog
clutch with corresponding pair of meshed gear i.e. smallest gear of lay shaft and largest
gear of main shaft, slides right or left over the splined main shaft and make contact with
the meshed pair and finally the 1 gear is obtained.
  Second gear: It is the gear provides higher speed and lower torque than the first gear and
is obtained by right or left sliding of the corresponding dog clutch towards the appropriate
pair of meshed gears i.e. second smallest lay shaft gear and second largest main shaft
gear, in order to make contact with the pair.

 Third gear: It is the second highest speed gear having very low torque and is obtained by
the right or left sliding of the corresponding dog clutch towards the appropriate pair of
meshed gear i.e. second biggest lay shaft gear and second smallest main shaft gear.

 Fourth gear: It is the highest speed gear of 4-speed manual transmission in which
maximum speed of the clutch shaft is transmitted to the final output by right or left sliding
of the dog clutch to make contact with the pair having largest gear of the lay shaft and
smallest gear of the main shaft and very low torque and highest speed is obtained.

 Reverse gear: It is the gear which reverses the direction of rotation of the output shaft in
order to move vehicle in reverse direction, it is obtained with the special gear known as
idler gear which mounted between the lay shaft and the main shaft when the reverse gear
is selected the dog clutch makes contact with the idler gear and reverse gear is obtained.

Advantages:
 The double helical gears and the helical gears are extremely beneficial owing to their quieter
operating capabilities
 In the case of constant mesh gearbox, any harm is suffered entirely by the dog clutch teeth.
The teeth belonging to the gear wheels remain intact.

Disadvantages:
 It is less efficient than the others due to higher mesh teeth. Skill is required for it.
The response to the shifting of gears in the constant mesh gearbox is not quick as the dog
clutches used in constant mesh gearbox has to mesh with the rotating pair of gears which is
not a quick task.
 There is a lack of mechanism in constant mesh gearbox that can bring all the rotating shafts
that are clutch shaft, main shaft and lay shaft at the same rotating speed, which is responsible
for the harsh shifting.
 The teethes of the dog clutches shows wear and tear which in turn increases the maintenance
of the system.
 The shifting in constant mesh gearbox is a noisy process as the dog clutches has to make
contact with rotating gear pair.
 The constant mesh gear box is not compact as compared to synchromesh gearbox.

Application:
Some of the vehicles which use this type of gearboxes are farm trucks, motorcycles, and
heavy machinery.
Synchromesh gear box:
Synchromesh gearbox is a type of transmission system in which special shifting devices
known as synchromesh devices is used which makes the system compact and also provide
smooth and noise free shifting of gears. Synchromesh gear devices works on the principle
that two gears to be engaged are first brought into frictional contact which equalizes their
speed after which they are engaged readily and smoothly. It usually consists of a 5 or 6-
speed 1-reverse manual transmission configuration.

Main Components
1. Clutch shaft: A Clutch shaft is used as an input shaft as it is used to carry the engine
power output to the gearbox. The input gear is mounted on the clutch shaft.
2. Lay shaft: Lay shaft is used as an intermediate shaft over which suitable gears are
mounted and is used to transmit the motion from the clutch shaft to the output shaft. It is also
called a countershaft.
3. Main shaft: It is the shaft that is used to transmit the torque/power generated in the
gearbox to the differential of the vehicle. It’s also called the output shaft. The needle bearing
and splined section are mounted on the main shaft. It rotates independent of the gear and the
gear only rotates when it’s engaging to the shaft with the help of the synchronizer.
4. Needle bearing: It is mounted on the main shaft and the gear is locked onto the teeth of
the bearing. It is used to lock the gear and main shaft so that the main shaft rotates along with
the gears. The synchronizer hub is fitted over the splined sections. The splines lock the
synchronizer hub so that it also rotates along with the gear when engaged.
5. Synchronizer: They are special shifting devices which has conical grooves cut over its
surface that provide frictional contact to the gears which is to be meshed in order to equalise
the speed of main shaft, lay shaft and clutch shaft which in turn provides smooth shifting of
gears.
The synchronizer ring consists of three parts, namely synchronizer hub, synchronizer
sleeve, and synchronizer blocker ring. The synchronizer hub is the inner ring mounted over
the splined section and the synchronizer sleeve is the outer ring. The outer surface of the hub
and the inner surface of the sleeve are both splined, which interlocks the two parts. The
sleeve can move horizontally on the splines of the hub. When the main shaft rotates, the
synchronizer system rotates along with it. Synchronizer blocker ring is the outermost part
fitted at both ends in the synchronizer system; it has straight teeth at the edges. It rotates
along with the sleeve and the hub. When a gear is selected, the blocker ring rubs with the
gear. It is used to lock with the teeth present at the outer edge of the gear. The locking action
increases the friction between the gear and the sleeve, which is used to sync or match the
speed of the gear and sleeve before the gear is engaged. This causes the gear and sleeve to
rotate together reducing clattering of the rotating parts and making a smooth transition. The
synchronizer is placed between pair of gears and the shift fork is connected to it. When a gear
is engaged or disengaged, the shift fork moves the synchronizer back and forth.
6. Helical gears: Helical gears namely; input gear, counter gear, and output gear are
mounted on the input shaft, lay shaft, and the main shaft respectively.
7. Idler gear: The idler gear is used to reverse the direction of the output shaft. When
engaged, it is placed between the counter gear and output gear. This makes the output gear
rotate in the opposite direction.
8. Shift fork: Shift forks are connected to the synchronizers between gears. Each shift fork
and synchronizer is used to engage or disengage a pair of gears. It moves the synchronizer
back and forth between the gears. It is linked to the shift rod, which moves the shift fork
when a driver uses the gear shifter.
9. Shift rod: The shift rod is connected to the shift fork at one end and the gear shifter at the
other. It is used to transfer the force exerted by the driver on the gear lever to the gears via the
shift forks.
10. Gear lever- it is the shifting lever which is operated by [Link] is used to select
appropriate gear.
Synchromesh Gearbox Working principle:
Transmissions work on the principle of providing torque and speed as required. Low gears
provide low speeds but high torque, whereas high gears provide high speed but low torque.
When the gear lever is moved, the synchronizer cone contacts with a similar cone on
the Gear. Due to friction, the speed of the rotating gear gets synchronised to the speed of
the synchromesh unit. Then the synchronizer sleeve engages dog teeth on the gear. Since both
pinion and synchromesh units are moving at same speed, this engagement is done without
noise.

Reason of synchromesh gearbox preferred over constant mesh gearbox

1) No need of double-declutching as in case of constant mesh gearbox.
2) Smooth engagement of higher gears due to the synchromesh device.
3) Less noisy as helical gears are used.
4) Less vibration.

Advantages of Synchromesh Gearbox:

1) No need of double-declutching as in case of constant mesh gearbox.
2) Smooth engagement of higher gears due to the synchromesh device.
3) Less noisy as helical gears are used.
4) Less vibration.

Disadvantages of Synchromesh Gearbox:

1) Synchromesh is a finely machined element and hence is costly.
2) The service of gears and synchromesh device is difficult.
3) More space is required.
4) Use of synchromesh device for low-speed gears is uneconomical.

Dual-Clutch Transmission
A dual-clutch transmission is a modified version of a manual transmission with two sets of
gears, each operated by a separate clutch. Basically, it uses two clutches which can be either
wet or dry. One clutch operates the even number of gears (2, 4, 6) while the other clutch
operates the odd number of gears (1, 3, 5, and reverse gear). These types are very popular in
older cars but are still found in modern race cars. DCTs offer better fuel economy than
AMTs.
 Automatic Transmission System
An automatic transmission is a motor vehicle transmission that can automatically change gear
ratios as the vehicle moves, freeing the driver from having to shift gears. Automatic
transmissions contain mechanical systems, hydraulic systems, electrical systems and
computer controls, all working together in perfect harmony. Typically, it does not require any
driver input to change gears under normal driving conditions. It provides less effort for the
driver and more features available to handle the car. In this transmission system the gears are
never physically moved and are always engaged to the same gears.

Main Components of an Automatic Transmission-

1. Planetary Gear sets which are the mechanical systems that provide the various forward
gear ratios as well as reverse.
2. Clutches and Bands in order to control the planetary gear sets.
3. Torque Converter which acts like a clutch to allow the vehicle to come to a stop in gear
while the engine is still running.
4. The Governor and the Modulator or Throttle Cable that monitor speed and throttle position
in order to determine when to shift.
5. The Hydraulic System which uses a special transmission fluid sent under pressure by
an Oil Pump through the Valve Body to control. The Seals and Gaskets are used to keep the
oil where it is supposed to be and prevent it from leaking out.
6. On newer vehicles, shift points are controlled by Computer which directs electrical
solenoids to shift oil flow to the appropriate component at the right instant.

Why do We Need Epicyclic Transmission?

 When it comes to luxury, human comfort becomes the first priority, since in manual
transmission driver has to press and release the clutch pedal and shifts gears
continuously for shifting the drive from high torque to high speed and also the sliding
and meshing of lots of mechanical components is there in manual transmission which
raises many problems .
 In countries like India there is a problem of traffic which required sudden shifting of
gears from high torque to high speed which in turn requires continuous engagement
and dis-engagement of the clutch which causes fatigue to the driver.
 Since, the parallel shafts with mounted gears and meshing devices are used in manual
transmission so size of the gearbox becomes the problem.
 If we take an example of the latest manual transmission system i.e. synchromesh
gearbox in which the shifting of gears is obtained by sliding and meshing of
synchronisers with the constantly meshed pairs of gears which causes wear and tear to
the transmission system.
 Also in manual transmission the shifting of gear is a noisy process.
 Poor fuel economy is the problem seen with the synchromesh manual transmission as
there is the loss of energy due to the movement of lots of components and also over
raving of accelerator is also seen in it.
Epicyclic gear box
An Epicyclic gearbox is an automatic type gearbox in which parallel shafts and gears
arrangement from manual gear box are replaced with more compact and more reliable sun
and planetary type of gears arrangement. Also the manual clutch from manual power train is
replaced with hydro coupled clutch or torque convertor which in turn made the transmission
automatic. This type of gear box uses no sliding dogs or gears to engage. More speed or
torque ratios can be achieved by increasing the number planet and sun gear in epicyclic gear
box.

CONSTRUCTION
1. Ring gear- It is a type of gear which have angular cut teethes at its inner surface ,and
is placed in outermost position in en epicyclic gearbox, the inner teethes of ring gear
is in constant mesh at outer point with the set of planetary gears ,it is also known as
annular ring. The ring gear is surrounded by a brake band.
2. Sun gear- It is the gear with angular cut teethes and is placed in the middle of the
epicyclic gearbox. The sun gear is attached to the clutch shaft thus moves along with
the movement of engine crankshaft. It is in constant mesh at inner point with the
planetary gears. One or more sun gears can be used for achieving different output.
3. Planet gears- The planet gears are in constant mesh with both the sun gear and ring
gear and are free to rotate on their axes carried by the carrier frame which in turn is
connected to the driver shaft. The axis of the planet gears are attached to the planet
carrier which is carrying the output shaft of the epicyclic gearbox.
4. Planet carrier- It is a carrier attached with the axis of the planet gears and is
responsible for final transmission of the output to the output shaft. The planet gears
rotate over the carrier and the revolution of the planetary gears causes rotation of the
carrier.
5. Brake or clutch band- The device used to fix the annular gear, sun gear and planetary
gear and is controlled by the brake or clutch of the vehicle. The brake band is
operated by a gear stick or lever to grip the ring gear and hold its movement.
Working of Epicyclic Gearbox
The working principle of the epicyclic gearbox is based on the fact the fixing any of the gears
i.e. sun gear, planetary gears and annular gear is done to obtain the required torque or speed
output. As fixing any of the above causes the variation in gear ratios from high torque to high
speed.
 First gear ratio: This provide high torque ratios to the vehicle which helps the vehicle
to move from its initial state and is obtained by fixing the annular gear which in turn
causes the planet carrier to rotate with the power supplied to the sun gear.
 Second gear ratio: This provides high speed ratios to the vehicle which helps the
vehicle to attain higher speed during a drive, these ratios are obtained by fixing the
sun gear which in turn makes the planet carrier the driven member and annular the
driving member in order to achieve high speed ratios.
 Reverse gear ratio: This gear reverses the direction of the output shaft which in turn
reverses the direction of the vehicle; this gear is achieved by fixing the planet gear
carrier which in turn makes the annular gear the driven member and the sun gear the
driver member.
Two-wheel drive (2WD):
A two-wheel-drive system has engine power directed to two wheels only. These can either be
the front wheels or the rear wheels. In a front-wheel drive system, the engine is laid out in
a transverse configuration, i.e., it is perpendicular to the axis of the car. This layout enables
the engine to connect to the front wheels directly. A rear-wheel drive system has its engine
laid out longitudinally, meaning it is laid along the axis of the car. The engine gets connected
to the rear wheels through the transmission employing a driveshaft.

Four-wheel drive (4WD):

A four-wheel drive system is used to send power from the engines to all four wheels equally
of the car to assist in traction-demanding situations. This is achieved by a centre differential
that has a front and rear driveshaft’s connected to front and rear differentials that split the
power equally and manage the transfer of power to each wheel.

A four-wheel drive system can either be active at all times or switch between 2WD and
4WD, as required. Four-wheel drive systems allow all four wheels on a vehicle to spin
simultaneously. All 4WD vehicles have a transfer case between the front and rear axles that
prevents the axles from spinning at different speeds. The transfer case allows the engine to
provide maximum torque to the axle and wheels in order to maintain traction.
Different 4WD configurations exist, and each variation employs different
technologies to meet the needs of the driver. Some 4WD systems have a locking differential.
This means both wheels on the axle will turn together to achieve maximum traction. Another
variation is the limited-slip differential. It can detect a slide or slip in one wheel and send
torque to the other wheel to regain traction. Each system—part-time, full-time, manual shift,
and fully automatic—all have different requirements for engagement and disengagement.

Use 4WD in the following situations:

 When you need additional torque/power, such as pulling heavy loads at slow speeds.
 When you are going over steep inclines and declines, such as rocky situations.
 When you are stuck in snow, mud, or sand, Ice-covered roads, Wet roads, Slippery
low traction surfaces.

Applications of a four-wheel drive system

1. Hauling heavy loads downhill at slow speeds, such as in trucks or pick-up
vehicles
2. Sport, adventure driving and off-roading, such as on the race track, for mountain
trails or river wading, etc., such as in Jeeps or SUVs.
3. Road-going vehicles, such as saloons and limousines, where 4WD capabilities
are only available on-demand.
According to the way, torque is transferred between axles, four-wheel drive systems are of
following types:

Part-time four-wheel drive: This is the first generation of four-wheel drive systems. Usually,
such vehicles are rear wheel drive vehicles. Manufacturers convert them to four-wheel drive
vehicles with the help of a component called ‘Transfer case’. When driver engages transfer
case, it transfers the engine power to front wheels also, along with the rear wheels. It is the
most simple and cheap 4WD system. On-demand four-wheel drive: Under the normal
operating condition, this system operates as the two-wheel drive. However, it can switch over
to 4WD mode whenever needed. For doing this, it employs an open differential and the
operation is either vacuum or electrically controlled.
Full-time four-wheel drive (4WD): This system works as all-time 4WD. Its’ operation is fully
automatic and it does not need any input from the driver. It uses viscous coupling for torque
transfer and thus, can even adjust to individual wheel slips.

Visco-coupling system: These are the simplest 4WD technologies. The front and rear axles
are linked together through a viscous self-locking coupling device. The visco-coupling
technology was usually used on small vehicles. The front axle is the nominal drive axle, the
rear axle was pulled, without torque being transferred through the visco-couple. If the front
axle was spinning, due to loss of adhesion, the visco-couple started to lock, transferring
torque to the rear axle. Example of vehicle with visco-coupling: Fiat Panda, Renault Scenic
RX4.
Transfer case: A transfer case transfers power from a longitudinally-mounted engine to the
front wheels by means of a drive chain. Owing to its longitudinal configuration, the engine
can only supply power to the rear wheels directly. In order to power the front wheels, a chain-
driven arrangement, known as the transfer case, is employed. The transfer case connects to
the front differential by means of a driveshaft, which then supplies power to the wheels. It is
also referred to as a "transfer gear case", "transfer gearbox", "transfer box" or "jockey box".
A manually shifted 2-speed transfer case in the 4-wheel drive controls the power from the
engine and transmission to the front and rear driving axles (Fig). The transfer case shift lever
positions, from front to rear, are 4L (low gear, all wheels), N (Neutral), 2H (high gear, rear
wheels), and 4H (high gear, all wheels).
PROS:
1. Improved traction, as power gets sent to all four wheels
2. A vehicle can overcome arduous terrain easily, as there is greater control over the
amount of power that gets sent to each wheel.
3. It improves overall stability and grip of the vehicle.
CONS:
1. Use of 4WD in high-traction situations can be incredibly stressful to mechanical parts,
especially during turns.
2. The heavy body on frame chassis results in higher fuel consumption
3. A High center of gravity negatively affects your overall MPG and results in higher wind
noise inside the cabin.
4. Bigger longer vehicles are not easy to maneuver and parking in shopping mall lots, as
well as city driving, can be tricky in areas where roads are narrow.
All-wheel Drive (AWD):
This system is permanently in 4H mode and cannot be changed to 2H where only the rear
wheels are propelled. Some manufacturers incorporate a center diff-lock function which
allows the driver to manually lock the front and rear drive shafts in place to propel as a single
unit. Most traditional AWD does not have Low Range (4Lo) functionality. AWD is usually
managed by a computerized system that controls the power split ratios. Power is fed to each
wheel and certain vehicle AWD systems allow power splits to be adjusted on the fly by the
driver. Other AWD systems function automatically and adjust the power splits once the
computer senses traction is lost on either front or rear axles. Manufacturers make use of
various torque splitting methods such as torsion splits, viscous coupling or electronic clutch
mechanisms, etc. Each has its advantages and disadvantages.
The terms 2H, 4H, and 4L denote driving modes for 4x4s. 2H is 2WD High Range for
normal everyday driving; 4H is 4WD High Range for driving at normal speed but where
traction is needed; and 4L is 4WD Low for driving when you need more torque but at a
reduced speed. These three driving modes are for trucks and SUVs. Some 4WD models run
on two-wheel-drive (mostly rear-wheel drive) for normal driving, and you only switch to
four-wheel drive when you need to drive off the road.

4WD vs AWD: A Four Wheel Drive (4WD) is optimized and designed for challenging
driving conditions like rock-climbing, fording deep rivers, and conquering steep hills with
loose, low traction surfaces. An AWD vehicle does not have the high ground clearance
offered by a 4WD. This means when snow conditions get really bad your AWD might not
have enough clearance to run through thick snow and you might find yourself bogged. There
is very little benefit of all four wheels turning without enough traction or ground clearance to
clear the obstacle.

The main difference between 4WD and AWD is that four-wheel drive vehicles use two
differentials and a transfer case while all-wheel drive vehicles employ a front, rear, and center
differential.

A permanent/full-time all-wheel drive vehicle has a permanent torque split between the front
and rear axle, it cannot be disabled by the driver or by an electronic control module (ECM).
An 4WD vehicle can have a 2WD mode because the ECM (or the driver) can disconnect one
of the axles from being driven. In modern vehicles, the switch between 2WD and 4WD mode
is usually done without the driver noticing.
Technically, an AWD vehicle can be either a full time or part-time four-wheel drive
vehicle. However, according to the recent nomenclature followed in the automotive industry,
the manufacturers use this term to refer to full-time 4WD vehicles only. That means in an
AWD vehicle, all the wheels will directly receive engine power all the time. Thus, one can
say that AWD is synonymous with full-time 4WD.
 1. Internal combustion engine
2. clutch / torque converter
3. gearbox
4. rear differential
5. rear propeller (longitudinal) shaft
6. transfer case (with central differential and gear reductor (optional))
7. front propeller (longitudinal) shaft
8. front differential
9. coupling device (viscous, electromagnetic)

There are some vehicle architectures which have both the engine and the drive wheels on the
rear axle (e.g. Porsche 911 classic, Renault Twingo 3).

Advanced 4WD Technology

 Land Rover has the Terrain Response System incorporated into their luxury SUV Four
Wheel Drives. This is a highly sophisticated electronic system that controls the behavior
of the vehicle over various surfaces. This affords the driver options to select the perfect
setting for the specific terrain he is driving on. The intelligent software sets all the correct
throttle, ride height, braking sensitivity, and other traction adjustments. Cornering is also
 superior as the power is equally transferred to all wheels allowing the load to be reduced
on each wheel.
 Most modern 4WD’s have technology like hill descent control and hill climb assist as
standard, which eliminates some of the guesswork for the driver. It is designed as a safety
feature allowing the vehicle to be driven much slower and more controlled under extreme
descents.

Vehicle manufacturers use different AWD/4WD technologies. Some of them are proprietary
driveline systems, some use dedicated components, from Tier 1 suppliers.
 Torsen: Torsen comes from Torque Sensing and it’s a limited-slip mechanical
differential. This type of differential was manufactured by the Gleason Corporation. They
can be used as front / rear differential or as central (inter-axial) differential. Torsen
differentials are fully mechanical, with satellites and helicoid gears. Their self-locking
characteristic depends on torque difference sensing between front and rear axles or
between left and right wheels. Examples of vehicles equipped with Torsen AWD
systems: Audi Quattro, Alfa Romeo Q4.
 Haldex: Haldex AWD systems are based on a central coupling device with a wet multi-
disc clutch. They are manufactured by Haldex Traction AB group, currently owned by
BorgWarner. Haldex systems are usually used as rear axle limited-slip differential.
 BMW xDrive: xDrive is the BMW proprietary 4WD technology. First BMW equipped
with xDrive was X5 in 2004. The main component of the xDrive system is the transfer
case. The purpose of the transfer case is to split the power coming from the gearbox
between front and rear axles. When the clutch is fully closed, the torque split is 50:50
between front and rear axle.
 Mercedes 4MATIC: 4MATIC is the AWD/4WD technology developed by Mercedes-
Benz. In consists in a central planetary differential which splits the torque between front
and rear axles. The first generation of 4MATIC was using an electronically controlled
central differential, a rear limited-slip differential and a front open differential. The
latest generation of 4MATIC system is using three open differentials (front, rear and
central).
 EMCD AWD systems: EMCD comes from Electro-Magnetic Control Device. It consists
wet multi-disc clutch controlled by an electro-magnetic actuator. The EMCD system is
manufactured by GKN Driveline. It is acting as a limited-slip central differential,
controlled by an electronic control module (ECM). The vehicles equipped with an
EMCD are working in nominal mode as a FWD vehicles. The AWD capability is “on-
demand” depending on the vehicle and road conditions. The driver has the option to
completely lock the clutch, for permanent AWD capability, but in AUTO mode the ECM
takes the decision. Examples of vehicles with EMCD AWD system: Nissan Quashqai,
Nissan X-Trail, Dacia Duster, and Fiat Sedici.
Torque Converter
A torque converter is used to transfer rotating power from the engine of a vehicle to the
transmission. The main function of it is to allow the load to be isolated from the main power
source. It sits in between the engine and transmission. It has the same function as the clutch
in manual transmission. The main purpose of the torque converter is to engage the driving
member to driven member and increase the torque of driven member. In the torque converter,
an impeller is bolted on the driving member, a turbine is bolted on the driven member and
stationary guide vanes are placed between these two members. This all parts are enclosed into
single housing filled with hydraulic liquid. It multiplies the torque of the engine and transmits
it to the transmission. It almost doubles the output torque.

Main Parts of Torque Converter:

1. Impeller or Pump
The impeller is connected to the housing and the housing connected to the engine shaft. It has
curved and angled vanes. It rotates with the engine speed and consists of automatic
transmission fluid. When it rotates with the engine, the centrifugal force makes the fluid
move outward. The blades of the impeller are designed in such a way that it directs the fluid
towards the turbine blades.
2. Stator
The stator is located in between the impeller and turbine. The main function of the stator is to
give direction to the returning fluid from the turbine, so that the fluid enters to the impeller in
the direction of its rotation. As the fluid enters in the direction of the impeller, it multiplies
the torque. So the stator helps in the torque multiplication by changing the direction of the
fluid and allows it to enter in the direction of the impeller rotation.
3. Turbine
The turbine is connected to the input shaft of the automatic transmission. It is present at the
engine side. It also consists of curved and angled blades. The blades of the turbine are
designed in such a way that it can change the direction of the fluid completely that strikes on
its blades. It is the change in the direction of the fluid that forces the blades to move in the
direction of the impeller. As the turbine rotates the input shaft of the transmission also rotates
and made the vehicle to move.

Working of Torque Converter

It has three stages of operations
1. Stall: During the stall (stop) condition of the vehicle, the engine is applying power to the
impeller but the turbine cannot rotate. This happens, when the vehicle is stationary and the
driver has kept his foot on the brake paddle to prevent it from moving. During this condition
maximum multiplication of torque takes place.
2. Acceleration: During acceleration, the turbine speed keeps on increasing, but still there is
a large difference between the impeller and turbine speed. As the speed of the turbine
increases the torque multiplication reduces. During acceleration of the vehicle the torque
multiplication is less than that is achieved during a stall condition.
3. Coupling: It is a situation when the turbine achieved approximately 90 percent speed of
the impeller and this point is called the coupling point. The torque multiplication seizes and
becomes zero and the torque converter behaves just like a simple fluid coupling. At the
coupling point the lock-up clutch comes into play and locks the turbine to the impeller of the
converter. This puts the turbine and impeller to move with the same speed. A lock-up clutch
engages only when the coupling point is achieved. During coupling the stator also starts to
rotate in the direction of the impeller and turbine rotation.

How a torque converter differs from a gearbox?

A torque converter is a device that performs a function similar to that of a gearbox, i.e. to
increase the torque while reducing the speed. But whereas gearbox provides only a small
number of fixed ratios, the torque converter provides a continuous variation of ratio from the
lowest to the highest. It provides a maximum gear ratio starting from the rest and gradually
decreases that ratio as the vehicle gains speed.
In torque converter no shifting mechanism is required as torque increases along with the
engine speed. No gear train is used as in the gearbox. It does not require frequent
maintenance as compared to the gearbox and is compact in design. The efficiency of the
torque converter is maximum within a very narrow speed range. It is used along with the
epicyclic gear train.

Advantages of Torque Converter :

 It produces the maximum torque as compared with the vehicle equipped with a clutch.
 It removes the clutch pedal.
 It makes the job of driving a vehicle easier.
 It allows starting & stopping the vehicle without any difficulty
 It provides driving comfort to drivers by avoiding manual interference of gear changing.

Disadvantages of Torque Converter :

1. Efficiency of torque convertor is high only within narrow limits of speed.
2. There is a chance of cavitation.
Application of Torque Converter:
The torque converter is used in the vehicle that is equipped with the automatic transmission.
It is also used in industrial power transmission such as conveyor drives, winches, drilling
rigs, almost all modern forklifts, construction equipment, and railway locomotives. It is used
in marine propulsion systems.

FLUID COUPLING/FLUID FLYWHEEL

Fluid coupling or hydraulic coupling is used as clutches in cars employing automatic
transmissions. It is a device for transmitting rotation between shafts by means of the
acceleration and deceleration of a hydraulic fluid (such as oil). Structurally, a fluid coupling
consists of an impeller on the input or driving shaft and a runner on the output or driven shaft.
The driven member is free to slide on splines on the transmission shaft. The two contain the
fluid. Impeller and runner are bladed rotors, the impeller acting as a pump and the runner
reacting as a turbine. Basically, the impeller accelerates the fluid. The fluid mass emerges at
high velocity from the impeller, impinges on the runner blades, gives up its energy, and
leaves the runner at low velocity. The housing, also known as the shell (which must have an
oil-tight seal around the drive shafts), contains the fluid and turbines.

Working Of Fluid Coupling:

When the crankshaft rotates, the driving member or impeller also rotates. The driving
member is filled with oil and the centrifugal force causes the oil to be forced outward
radially. As a result of this, the driven member or turbine is forced to rotate. Thus the engine
power is transmitted from crankshaft to the transmission shaft.
As the engine speed increases, the thrown out oil from the driving member strikes the driven
member with greater force and tends the driven member to rotate at the same speed,
becoming one unit by means of oil film which combines both the members. As the engine
speed falls down, the oil film between the driving and driven members is broken away and
the members are disengaged.

When the engine is started, the driving member called the impeller starts to move inside the
housing containing oil. Pockets of moving driving members are completely filled with oil.
Due to this, the centrifugal force forces the oil outward radially. The pockets are designed in
such a way that the splashed oil will strike the pockets or vanes of the driven member. Hence.
it is forced to move in the same direction. When the engine speed increases. the oil which is
coming out from the pocket of the driving member strikes the pockets of the driven
member with greater force. Thus, it tends the driven member to rotate at the same speed.
Advantages of Fluid Flywheel:
1. There is no mechanical contact between the driving shaft and the driven shaft (or between
the pump wheel and turbine wheel). Hence there is no frictional wearing of them.
2. The fluid in the coupling behaves as a cushioning agent between engine and gearbox in
order to absorb shocks during braking or coasting down on incline.
3. No need of separate pedal or lever to operate.
4. The driving member acts as a flywheel on the crankshaft. Thus it is smoothened out the
torque variation.
5. There is no wear on moving parts.
6. It is simple in design. No skill is required for operating.
.
Disadvantages of Fluid Coupling :
1. There is always a slip. There is always a slight difference in the speed of the pump wheel
and turbine wheel
2. The fluid-filled in casing must be compatible with the coupling component, it directly
affects the transmission behaviour of the fluid coupling.
3. Fluid coupling cannot develop torque when the driving shaft and driven shaft are rotating
in the same angular velocity.
4. Under stalling condition, the coupling dissipates energy as heat it may lead to damage.
 Application of Fluid Coupling:
1. Used For industrial application where heavy starting torque or inertia is needed under
constant cyclic Loading.
2. Automobile: Mainly used in the automobile sector in semi-Automatic or fully.
3. Aeronautical applications.

Sl . no. Torque converter Fluid coupling

1. The main components are the pump, stator, The main components are impeller and
and turbine. runner.
2. It is a torque multiplication unit. It is simply a means to connect driving and
driven members.
3. The turbine blades are inclined to have pitch. Blades are merely fins.
4. It acts as an automatic clutch and serves the It serves the purpose of an automatic clutch.
purpose of an automatic gearbox to increase
torque.
5. It is not as efficient as fluid coupling at It is efficient at highway speeds.
highway speeds but is slightly more efficient
under load.
6. It is usually used in conjunction with It is not assisted by a friction clutch.
automatic clutch (mostly fluid flywheel) to
eliminate the slight loss of efficiency at
highway speeds.
7. It never locks up and the flow of oil never Impeller and runner are locked up and
stops but continues. movement of oil stops during engagement
when centrifugal force is approximately the
same on both members.