Drive shaft for cars

A drive shaft, driveshaft, driving shaft, tailshaft (Australian English), propeller shaft (prop shaft), or Cardan shaft (after Girolamo Cardano) is a component for transmitting mechanical power and torque and rotation, usually used to connect other components of a drivetrain that cannot be connected directly because of distance or the need to allow for relative movement between them. As torque carriers, drive shafts are subject to torsion and shear stress, equivalent to the difference between the input torque and the load. They must therefore be strong enough to bear the stress, while avoiding too much additional weight as that would in turn increase their inertia.

start Automotive Technology: Principles, Diagnosis, and Service, 3rd Edition By James D Halderman ©©2008 2009Pearson PearsonEducation, Education,Inc Inc Pearson PearsonPrentice PrenticeHall Hall- -Upper UpperSaddle SaddleRiver, River,NJ NJ07458 07458 OBJECTIVES: After studying Chapter 96, the reader should be able to: • • • Prepare for ASE Suspension and Steering (A4) certification test content area “C” (Related Suspension and Steering Service) Name driveshaft and U-joint parts, and describe their function and operation Describe how CV joints work Continued Automotive Technology: Principles, Diagnosis, and Service, 3rd Edition By James D Halderman ©©2008 2009Pearson PearsonEducation, Education,Inc Inc Pearson PearsonPrentice PrenticeHall Hall- -Upper UpperSaddle SaddleRiver, River,NJ NJ07458 07458 OBJECTIVES: After studying Chapter 96, the reader should be able to: • • Explain how the working angles of the Ujoints are determined List the various types of CV joints and their applications Automotive Technology: Principles, Diagnosis, and Service, 3rd Edition By James D Halderman ©©2008 2009Pearson PearsonEducation, Education,Inc Inc Pearson PearsonPrentice PrenticeHall Hall- -Upper UpperSaddle SaddleRiver, River,NJ NJ07458 07458 KEY TERMS: cardan joints • center support bearing • CV joint boot • CV joints double-cardan joints • drive axle shaft • driveshaft fixed joint half shaft plunge joint • propeller shaft Rzeppa joint • spider trunnions • universal joints Automotive Technology: Principles, Diagnosis, and Service, 3rd Edition By James D Halderman ©©2008 2009Pearson PearsonEducation, Education,Inc Inc Pearson PearsonPrentice PrenticeHall Hall- -Upper UpperSaddle SaddleRiver, River,NJ NJ07458 07458 A drive axle shaft transmits engine torque from the transmission or transaxle (if front wheel drive) to the rear axle assembly or drive wheels Driveshaft is the term used by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) to describe the shaft between the transmission and the rear axle assembly on a rear-wheel-drive vehicle The SAE term will be used throughout this textbook Automotive Technology: Principles, Diagnosis, and Service, 3rd Edition By James D Halderman ©©2008 2009Pearson PearsonEducation, Education,Inc Inc Pearson PearsonPrentice PrenticeHall Hall- -Upper UpperSaddle SaddleRiver, River,NJ NJ07458 07458 A drive axle shaft transmits engine torque from the transmission or transaxle (front wheel drive) to the rear axle assembly or drive wheels Figure 96–1 Typical rear-wheel-drive power train arrangement The engine is mounted longitudinal (lengthwise) Continued Automotive Technology: Principles, Diagnosis, and Service, 3rd Edition By James D Halderman ©©2008 2009Pearson PearsonEducation, Education,Inc Inc Pearson PearsonPrentice PrenticeHall Hall- -Upper UpperSaddle SaddleRiver, River,NJ NJ07458 07458 Figure 96–2 Typical front-wheel-drive power train arrangement The engine is usually mounted transversely (sideways) Continued Automotive Technology: Principles, Diagnosis, and Service, 3rd Edition By James D Halderman ©©2008 2009Pearson PearsonEducation, Education,Inc Inc Pearson PearsonPrentice PrenticeHall Hall- -Upper UpperSaddle SaddleRiver, River,NJ NJ07458 07458 Figure 96–3 Typical driveshaft (also called a propeller shaft) The drivershaft transfers engine power from the transmission to the differential A typical driveshaft is a hollow steel tube A splined end yoke is welded onto one end that slips over the splines of the output shaft of the transmission An end yoke is welded onto the other end of the driveshaft Some driveshafts use a center support bearing Continued Automotive Technology: Principles, Diagnosis, and Service, 3rd Edition By James D Halderman ©©2008 2009Pearson PearsonEducation, Education,Inc Inc Pearson PearsonPrentice PrenticeHall Hall- -Upper UpperSaddle SaddleRiver, River,NJ NJ07458 07458 DRIVESHAFT DESIGN Most driveshafts are constructed of hollow steel tubing The forces are transmitted through the surface of the driveshaft tubing The surface is in tension, and cracks can develop on the outside surface of the driveshaft due to metal fatigue Driveshaft tubing can bend and, if dented, can collapse Figure 96–4 This driveshaft failed because it had a slight dent caused by a rock When engine torque was applied, the driveshaft collapsed, twisted, and then broke Continued Automotive Technology: Principles, Diagnosis, and Service, 3rd Edition By James D Halderman ©©2008 2009Pearson PearsonEducation, Education,Inc Inc Pearson PearsonPrentice PrenticeHall Hall- -Upper UpperSaddle SaddleRiver, River,NJ NJ07458 07458 Most rear-wheel-drive cars and light trucks use a one- or two-piece driveshaft A steel tube driveshaft has a maximum length of about 65 in (165 cm) Beyond this length, a center support bearing, called a steady bearing or hanger bearing, must be used Some vehicle manufacturers use aluminum driveshafts; these can be as long as 90 in (230 cm) with no problem Many extended-cab pickup trucks and certain vans use aluminum driveshafts to eliminate the need (and expense) of a center support bearing Composite-material driveshafts are also used in some vehicles These carbon-fiber-plastic driveshafts are very strong yet lightweight, and canbe made in extended lengths without the need for a center support bearing See Figure 96–5 Continued Automotive Technology: Principles, Diagnosis, and Service, 3rd Edition By James D Halderman ©©2008 2009Pearson PearsonEducation, Education,Inc Inc Pearson PearsonPrentice PrenticeHall Hall- -Upper UpperSaddle SaddleRiver, River,NJ NJ07458 07458