Drive Shaft
Introduction
Drive shafts are the part of any automobile that sets the automobile into the actual action.
Though, the engine is the power house for any automobile and produces all the energy through the combustion process, but this energy is then transferred into the transmission system.
The Drive Shafts are described as a crucial mechanical component of the transmission system.
The Drive Shafts are usually 2 in numbers that originates from the differential and then finds their way to the hub.
The shafts that are live or gets the power from the engine are termed to be as the drive shafts.
These can be 2 in numbers as in the case of a rear wheel drive, where the shafts connected at both the rear wheels serves as a drive shafts or in the front as in the case of front wheel drive or four in case of 4 wheel drive or All wheel drive.
Function
The primary function of the drive shafts are to simply transfer the torque produced by the engine to the wheels via the transmission system/the differential.
Also, it is also responsible and designed all the various deflection and adjustments that may be experienced while a bump or maneuvering.
The drive shafts are coupled with the axles through the universal joints to maximize the allowance, without compromising the performance.
Types
- One-piece drive shaft
- Two-piece drive shaft
- Slip-in-tube drive shaft
Note: The Slip-in-tube shaft is modern kind of drive shaft designed and developed in order to absorb the energy/impact in the event of crash.
There are a number of material being used in the manufacturing of the drive shafts:-
- Seamless Steel
- Composite fiberglass (reinforced)
- Graphite
- Aluminum
Originally published at https://www.carengineered.com on December 14, 2020.
