Gears and Transmissions

Why Is a Transmission
Necessary?
Provide torque multiplication at low speeds
Reduce engine RPM at highway speeds
Allow the engine to operate within its most
efficient RPM range
Allows the engine to be disengaged from
the rear wheels while the vehicle is not
moving (torque converter & clutch)

What Does a Transmission Do?

The basic purpose of a transmission breaks
down into 3 parts
Ability to alter shaft RPM
Ability to multiply torque
Ability to reverse the direction of shaft rotation

How Does the Transmission

Produce Torque Multiplication
And/or RPM Reduction
Transmissions use gears
Spur
Helical
Planetary

Gears are able to change the RPM and the

torque of the power moving through the
transmission as well as the direction of
rotation

 Spur
Simplest gear design
Straight cut teeth
Noisy operation

Helical
Spiral cut teeth
At least two teeth are in mesh at any time
Distributes the tooth load
Quieter operation

Planetary
Most complex design
Used in almost all automatic transmissions
Contains three parts
Sun gear
Planet gears
Internal gear (ring gear)

Types of Gears

How Stuff Works

Power Vs. Torque

Torque measurement of twisting force
Power measurement of how quickly work
can be done
Power is dependent on torque and RPM
Horsepower = Torque x RPM
5252
Mustang Cobra VS. Caterpillar Diesel

How Stuff Works

Gear Ratios
When two gears are in mesh, a gear ratio exists
Driven Gear = Ratio
Drive Gear
Example:

Drive gear has 14 teeth

Driven gear has 28 teeth
28 14 = 2:1 ratio (two to one ratio)
The drive gear must rotate twice to make the driven
gear rotate once

Reversal of Direction
When two gears are in mesh one will spin
the opposite direction of the other
Idlers are used to reverse direction

Speed Change
The change in RPM from the input gear to
the output gear is directly proportional to
the gear ratio
Example: 3:1 gear ratio
Input gear turns at 900 RPM
Output gear turns at 300 RPM

Torque Multiplication
The change in torque from the input gear to
the output gear is directly proportional to
the gear ratio
Example: 3:1 gear ratio
Engine turns input gear at 900 RPM with 50
lb/ft of force
Output gear turns driveshaft at 300 RPM with
150 lb/ft of force

Planetary Gearsets
Simple planetary gearsets contain three components
Internal (ring) gear / (annulus gear)
Planet gears (and carrier)
Sun gear

One component will be the drive member, one the

driven, and one will be held (except direct drive and
neutral)
Unlike other types of gears, planetary gears are able
to operate on one single axis

Planetary Action
Direct Drive
Any two of the components are driven
1:1 Ratio

Planetary Action
Underdrive
Planet carrier is the output
Minimum reduction
Ring gear is held
Sun gear is the input

Maximum reduction
Ring gear is input
Sun gear is held

Planetary Action
Overdrive
Planet carrier is the input
Minimum overdrive
Ring gear is the input
Sun gear is held

Maximum overdrive
Ring gear is held
Sun gear is the input

Planetary Action
Reverse
Planet carrier is held
Underdrive
Ring gear is the output
Sun gear is the input

Overdrive
Ring gear is the input
Sun gear is output