Automobile Engineering (Open Elective)

B.E Mechanical Engineering (Pat. 2015)

Unit: 2
Front and Rear axle, Steering System
Wheels and Tyres
Prepared By
Mr. H.D.Gurav (M.E Automotive, B.E Mechanical)
Assistant Professor
PVG COE Nashik
 Syllabus
• Axles: Purpose, requirement and types of front and
rear axle, loads acting on rear axles.
• Wheels and tyres: Wheel construction, alloy wheel,
wheel balancing, type of tyres, tyre construction, tyre
materials, factors affecting tyre life.
• Steering system : Steering mechanism, steering
geometry, cornering force, slip angle, scrub radius,
steering characteristics, steering linkages and gearbox,
power steering, collapsible steering, reversibility of
steering, four wheel steering, wheel alignment.
 DEFINITION
 An axle is a central shaft for a rotating wheel or gear.

 On wheeled vehicles, the axle may be fixed to the wheels,

rotating with them, or fixed to the vehicle, with the wheels
rotating around the axle.

 Bearings or bushings are provided at the mounting points

where the axle is supported.
TYPES OF AXLES
• Full Floating
REAR • Semi Floating
AXLE • Three Quarter
Floating

FRONT • Dead Front Axle

AXLE • Line Front Axle

• Elliot
STUB • Reversed Elliot
• Lamoine
AXLE • Reversed
Lamoine
 Front Axle
• Purpose of Front Axle
– Carry weight
– Facilitate steering
– Absorb shock
– It absorbs torque applied on it due to braking of
vehicle.
• Made up of steel drop forging having 0.4 % of
carbon steel or 1-3% nickel steel.
 King Pin

Main Beam

Stub Axle

Track Rod
 LIVE AXLE
• Live axles are used to
transmit power from gear
box to front wheels.
• Live front axles although,
resemble rear axles but they
are different at the ends
where wheels are mounted.
Maruti-800 has line front
axle.
 DEAD AXLE
• Dead axles are those
axles, which do not
rotate.
• These axles have
sufficient rigidity and
strength to take the
weight.
• The ends of front axle
are suitably designed to
accommodate stub
axles.
 STUB AXLE
• Stub axles are connected to the front axle by king pins. Front
wheels are mounted on stub axles arrangement for steering.
Stub axle turns on king pins. King pins is fitted in the front
axle beam eye and is located and locked there by a taper cotter
pin. Stub axles are of four types:

• Elliot
• Reversed Elliot
• Lamoine
• Reversed Lamoine
 Types of front DEAD AXLE

TYPES OF STUB
AXLES
 SEMI FLOATING AXLE
• With a semi floating axle, the
axle shaft both carries the
weight and transmits torque
• The wheel is often bolted
directly to the flange on the
axle
• Semi float axles are seen on
cars and light duty trucks
• Semi floats are more limited
in capacity, but lighter and
cheaper to manufacture.
SEMI FLOATING AXLE
 FULL FLOATING AXLE
• The weight of the axle is
supported by the axle housing-
more specifically, a bearing
spindle attached to the axle
housing, and a set of bearings
in a separate wheel hub.
• Torque is transmitted by a
separate axle shaft that carries
no weight.
• As commonly built, full-
floaters are considerably
heavier, but also much
stronger.
FULL FLOATING AXLE
 THREE QUARTER FLOATING AXLE
• This type of axle is a combination of full and semi floating
bearing.
• In this bearing is locating between the axle casing and hub axle
shaft do not have to withstand any shearing or bending action
due to the weight of the vehicle, which are taken up by the
axle casing through hub and bearing.
• However it has to take the end loads and driving torque.
• A three quarter floating axle is same as semi floating with one
difference. The outer bearing is moved to the outside of the
outer end of the axle tube, supporting hub assembly via the
bearing’s outer circumference edge.
THREE QUARTER FLOATING AXLE
Correct Steering Angle
Ackermanns Steering Mechanism
 Steering Geometry
• Camber
• King Pin Inclination
• Castor
• Toe-in or Toe-out
• Combined Angle
• Slip Angle
 CAMBER

• DEFINITION

• Camber is the tilt of the car wheels

from the vertical.

• Camber is positive if the tilt is outward

at the top.

• Camber is also called as “Wheel rake”. FRONT VIEW

Effect of positive and negative Camber
Contd....
FRONT VIEW
Combined Angle
 Scrub Radius

Negative: Wheel tends to Toe-In

 CASTER ANGLE

Amount:- About 30 of castor give good results

SIDE VIEW
 SIDE VIEW

Positive and Negative

CASTER
 Effects

•Positive Castor:
•Toe-in
•High steering wheel turning Efforts
 Toe-in

Rear wheel drive vehicle: Small amount of Toe-in is provided

Toe-Out
Toe-in & Toe-out

TOP VIEW
Slip Angle and Cornering Force
Ref: J.Y .Wong(Vehicle Dynamics)
Steering System
Steering Linkages-Rigid Axle
Suspension
Contd...
Steering Linkages-Independent
Suspension System
 Steering Gears
Steering Ratio:
It is the angle turned by the steering wheel to the corresponding turning
angles of the stub axle

They are as follows:

•Worm and wheel steering gear

•Worm and sector steering gear
•Cam and lever / peg steering gear
•Recirculating ball steering gear
•Rack and pinion steering gear.
Worm and Wheel Steering Gear
Cam and lever / peg steering gear
Worm and Nut type
Recirculating ball Type
Rack and Pinion type