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What is a Car Axle? How Does the Axle Work?

Team AckodriveMar 18, 2024

When we're driving down the road, we don't think much about the parts under our car, allowing for a smooth ride. One important yet often overlooked part is the axle. Axles have big jobs - holding up the car's weight, letting the wheels spin, and helping with steering control and suspension. Axles may seem simple, but they're doing some heavy lifting to connect the wheels and stabilise the car. Understanding what axles do helps show why they're so vital in making cars work.

What is an Axle in a Car?

An axle is a key component in a vehicle that connects the wheels to the drive shaft and allows them to rotate. It transfers power from the engine and transmission to the wheels so they can propel the vehicle. Simply put, an axle is a rod or shaft that passes through the centre of a wheel. The wheels of a car are attached and rotate around the axle. It also bears the vehicle's weight plus any cargo or passengers inside. Axles connect the wheels to the suspension system, allowing up and down-wheel movement.

How Does a Car Axle Work?

A car axle transfers rotational power and torque from the vehicle's drivetrain and transmission to the wheels. This is what propels the car forward. The amount of torque sent to the rear or front wheels depends on whether the car is front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive, or all-wheel drive.

In a rear-wheel drive car, the rear axle receives engine power and torque, spinning the rear wheels. In a front-wheel drive car, the front axle provides power to the front wheels instead. All-wheel drive vehicles can distribute torque to the front and rear axles, using a computerised system to improve traction.

Additionally, a differential is integrated into most automotive axles. This component allows the wheels on either side of the car to spin at different speeds around corners. Keeping the wheels moving at optimal relative velocities helps prevent wheel slip.

Functions of Car Axle

The main functions of a car axle include:

1. Transmit Engine Torque

A key purpose of the axle is to transmit rotation and torque from an automobile's engine and transmission to the wheels to propel the vehicle. Without the axle transferring the rotational energy into the tyre motion, the car could not drive along the road. Axles efficiently convert the high torque the engine generates into usable traction at the wheels.

2. Alloy Wheel Speed Differences

Axles also enable the wheels on either side of the car to spin at slightly different speeds, thanks to the differential. This is crucial when cornering, where the outer wheel must rotate faster to travel further around the bend than the inner wheel. The differential allows this relative motion, improving stability, grip and steering response. Tyres would skid and scrape on turns without different left and right wheel speeds.

3. Bear Vehicle Weight

Modern axles support thousands of pounds - from the vehicle body, chassis, and any cargo and passengers inside. Suspension components like springs, shock absorbers and sway bars mount to the axle housing across the car before reaching upwards to the frame. Quality axle design ensures durability to withstand these heavy static and dynamic weight loads over years of driving.

4. Absorb Driveline Stresses

Axles must persevere under torque stresses, too. Whether accelerating hard from a stoplight or slowing aggressively when braking, the axle deals with immense twisting forces. Axle shafts flinch slightly to handle this torque, with support bearings controlling the movement. Correct flexing prevents damage to gears and other driveline parts under load.

5. House Bearings and Seals

Integrated into the axle assembly are large, sturdy bearings and protective seals that keep dirt and water out. Rigid roller bearings allow smooth, low-friction spinning of the wheel hubs, axle shafts and differential gears. Meanwhile, seals stop grit from entering the bearings and retain vital lubricant inside - both critical to prolonging axle life.

6. Provide Brake and Wheel Mounts

Additionally, axles supply appropriate anchoring points for attaching the wheel hubs and brake assembly components like discs or drums. Secure mounts enable safe wheel installation, allowing effortless removal for tyre changes and brake service. Reliable attachment between the wheels, hubs, and axles is essential when transmitting driveline forces.

Types of Car Axle

There are three main types of axles found in automobiles:

Front Axle: Most front-wheel and all-wheel drive vehicles have front axles. They connect the front wheels and suspension to the chassis. Front axles have differentials to allow each wheel to spin at suitable speeds when cornering. Many also contain CV or constant velocity joints due to the steering required.
Rear Axle: Found in rear-wheel and all-wheel drive cars, rear axles transmit engine power to the back wheels. Like front axles, they enable appropriate relative wheel velocities on curves and corners. Rear axles support the vehicle's weight and are fixed laterally.
Stub Axle: Stub axles are often used on the rear of front-wheel drive cars. Instead of a beam or housing, stub axles are short protruding shafts to which the wheel attaches on one end. The inner CV joint connects to the transmission on the other end.

Different Components of a Car Axle

Modern automobile axles integrate various components and parts:

a. Spider Gear: Found within the differential, spider gears transmit torque from the driveshaft to the rest of the gearset and axle shafts. Their meshing distributes power while allowing wheel speed differences.

b. Ring Gear: The ring gear encircles the differential carrier and engages with the drive pinion gear, bringing engine power. It then transfers torque onto the spider gears inside the diff.

c. Side Gear: Side gears are found within the differential and are splined to each axle shaft. Power flows from the spider gears into the side gears and rotates each axle shaft independently.

d. Differential Carrier: The carrier houses the differential components like the ring, spider and side gears. It allows relative motion between outputs, enabling wheel speed differences.

e. Spider Gear Shaft: Spider gear shafts support each spider gear inside the differential carrier and provide an axis of rotation.

f. Drive Pinion Gear: The drive pinion gear is located at the end of the drive shaft, bringing power from the transmission and engine into the axle assembly through the ring gear.

g. Axle Shaft Bearing: Axle shaft bearings retain the axle shafts connecting the wheels to the differential side gears, allowing near frictionless rotation under load.

h. Drive Pinion Shaft: The drive pinion shaft supports the drive pinion gear. It includes bearings enabling smooth power transmission into the ring gear and differential.

i. Adjuster Nut: Adjuster nuts control drive pinion bearing preload. Optimal preload ensures efficient gear meshing when transmitting high engine torque.

j. Axle Shaft Housing: Axle shaft housings contain and protect the inner differential, gears, bearings, and seals from debris and retain lubricant.

k. Axle Shaft Oil Tube: Transports fresh gear oil throughout the axle assembly, ensuring cooling, cleaning and lubrication of components.

l. Bearing Cap: Bearing caps bolt to the axle housing, securing internal bearings in the optimal position for reliable operation under dynamic loads.

m. Universal Joint Flange: Universal joint flanges allow articulation at the outer ends of axle shafts where they meet the wheels to cope with suspension movement.

n. Gasket: Gaskets seal and prevent gear oil leaks between axle components like the main housing, covers and axle tubes. Critical for retaining lubrication inside.

How to Choose the Right Axle for Your Car

Choosing the optimum axle depends on your vehicle, how you use it and your performance needs. Key factors to consider are:

Understand Your Vehicle's Requirements: Identify your vehicle's make, model, and year to determine the specific axle type it requires.
Consider the Driving Conditions: Consider a more durable, heavy-duty axle for off-road or rugged terrain. For regular city driving, a standard axle should suffice.
Determine Your Vehicle's Drive Type: Know whether your car is FWD (front-wheel drive), RWD (rear-wheel drive), AWD (all-wheel drive), or 4WD (four-wheel drive) as it dictates the axle type needed.
Performance Needs: If you're looking for performance upgrades, consider axles made from high-strength materials that can handle increased power. Look for axles designed for high performance and durability for racing or sports applications.
Material and Build Quality: Choose axles made from high-quality materials such as alloy steel for strength and longevity.

Consult an expert to match the right axle design to how you drive. Upgraded axles may be needed on used vehicles or when carrying larger loads.

Also Read: Difference Between 4WD and AWD

Conclusion

The axle is a vital driveline component connecting a vehicle's wheels to its transmission and differential. It enables power transmission to the wheels from the engine while allowing them to spin at different rates. Axles must rotate smoothly under high torque and support the full vehicle weight. Various designs exist for front, rear and all-wheel drive cars tailored to performance needs. Understanding axle components and types enables selecting the optimal system. With quality axles suited to the vehicle, safe, reliable operation can be maintained.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are a few common questions and their answers related to the Car Axle

Q1. What connects the wheels to the drive shaft and transmission in cars?

The axle acts as a shaft through the wheel centre, transferring power from the drivetrain to the tyres so the car moves.

Q2. How does the axle transfer engine power to the wheels?

It efficiently converts high rotational forces and torque generated by the engine and gearbox into usable traction that spins the wheels.

Q3. How does a differential inside the axle work?

It allows the wheels on either side of the car to spin at slightly different speeds, which is key for stability when cornering.

Q4. Why can both wheels not spin at the same fixed speeds?

If they did, the tyres would skid and scrape when turning corners since the outer wheel travels further along the bend vs. the inner one.

Q5. What different types of axles are used in vehicles?

Common axle types are front axles on front-wheel-drive cars, rear axles on rear-wheel-drive vehicles, and stub axles found on the rear of front-drive vehicles.

Q6. What components make up a typical automotive axle assembly?

Key parts include differential gears, axle shafts, universal joints, bearings, seals, shafts, gaskets, flanges, and tubes that comprise the protective housing.

Q7. What forces must a car's rear axle withstand?

The rear axle has thousands of pounds of vehicle weight above its mounts to the frame, driveline torque stresses from acceleration/braking, and lateral cornering loads.

Q8. How do axles allow up-down wheel movement from suspension?

While transmitting rotation, the axles integrate universal joints and articulating shafts that cope with several inches of wheel travel from springs, shocks, and sway bars.

Q9. What lubrication needs are vital for axle health?

Oil seals plus bearing caps ensure gear oil circulates effectively, cooling and cleaning critical parts that handle high loads and friction.

Q10. What helps avoid axle seal leaks and grit damaging gears?

Efficient lubricant retention from good seals prevents corrosion inside while locking out contaminants that can erode soft gear contact surfaces.

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