The Transaxle

A transaxle is a single mechanical device which combines the functions of an

automobile's transmission, axle, and differential into one integrated assembly. It
can be produced in both manual and automatic versions.

Fig. Transaxle assembly

The operation of any transaxle is exactly the same as that of any transmission. The
difference is this: Instead of being connected via a long driveshaft to the rear axle,
the transmission's output shaft drives a large gear that meshes directly with the
differential's ring gear. And the differential itself (which would be mounted on the
rear axle in a rwd car) is located in the transaxle housing, mounted parallel to the
transmission. As power is applied, the differential distributes it to the two front
wheels via halfshafts.
Transaxles can be oriented either longitudinally or in a transverse fashion.
Transverse transaxles are used in concert with transverse engines in a large
percentage of modern front-wheel drive vehicles, which is a configuration that
places the entire drive train and the drive wheels in the front end of the vehicle.
On the flip side, most rear-wheel drive vehicles utilize a longitudinal engine
configuration with a conventional transmission and drive train. However, rear-
wheel drive vehicles with transaxles that have either mid- or rear-engined layouts
do use transverse-mounted transaxles. When the engine is located in the rear, the
overall configuration is very similar to a front-engine layout.
The components of a transaxle can vary from one design to another, but they
typically contain most of the same components as a transmission and a differential.
Some of the major components include: Shafts (input, idler, counter, etc),
Clutches, gears and Bearings
A transaxle contains these components in different amounts and configurations
than either a transmission or a differential. In addition to allowing the driver to
change gear ratios (the function of the transmission), it also has to be able to
distribute torque to the drive wheels.