7/21/2020

DRIVE LINE,
UNIVERSAL JOINTS,
DIFFERENTIALS
& DRIVING AXLES

Assad Anis, Assistant Professor, Deptt. of 
1
Automotive Engineering

Automotive Transmission & Drives- AU-402

• INTRODUCTION
• In a vehicle design, the driveline
connects the transmission (gearbox)
with the driving axles.
• In effect, the driveline transmits engine
power to the driving wheels.

Assad Anis, Assistant Professor, Deptt. of 
2
Automotive Engineering

Automotive Transmission & Drives- AU-402

• REAR WHEEL DRIVELINE
• In rear-wheels drive applications, the driveline consists
of one or more universal joints, the drive shaft, and
differential drive pinion gear.
• Each of these elements must be maintained properly in
order to provide a smooth running, relatively quiet,
vibration free power transfer system.
• In rear-wheels drive the engine and transmission are
mounted on the frame, and driving wheels are free to
move up and down in relation to frame.
• This causes constant changes in the angularity of the
line of drive.
• This requires flexibility in the drive train, which is
usually provided by universal joints.
Assad Anis, Assistant Professor, Deptt. of 
3
Automotive Engineering

1
 7/21/2020

Automotive Transmission & Drives- AU-402

• UNIVERSAL JOINTS
• A universal joint is a particular type of connection between two shafts, whose
axes are inclined to each other.
• A universal joint is a mechanical connection between two shafts giving a positive
drive.
• Whilst allowing angular movement of one or both of the shafts.
• A universal joint is a mechanical device that can transmit torque and/or
rotational motion from one shaft to another at fixed or varying angles.
• Most vehicles utilize a universal joint at the front and rear of the drive shaft.
• A third U joint is used on applications having two drive shafts.

Assad Anis, Assistant Professor, Deptt. of 
4
Automotive Engineering

Automotive Transmission & Drives- AU-402

Assad Anis, Assistant Professor, Deptt. of 
5
Automotive Engineering

Automotive Transmission & Drives- AU-402

Assad Anis, Assistant Professor, Deptt. of 
6
Automotive Engineering

2
 7/21/2020

Automotive Transmission & Drives- AU-402

Assad Anis, Assistant Professor, Deptt. of 
7
Automotive Engineering

Automotive Transmission & Drives- AU-402

Assad Anis, Assistant Professor, Deptt. of 
8
Automotive Engineering

Automotive Transmission & Drives- AU-402

Assad Anis, Assistant Professor, Deptt. of 
9
Automotive Engineering

3
 7/21/2020

Automotive Transmission & Drives- AU-402

Assad Anis, Assistant Professor, Deptt. of 
10
Automotive Engineering

Automotive Transmission & Drives- AU-402

Assad Anis, Assistant Professor, Deptt. of 
11
Automotive Engineering

Automotive Transmission & Drives- AU-402

• ANALYSIS OF HOOKE’S JOINT
• Let the drive shaft A and the driven shaft B be inclined to each other at
angle α.
• As the drive shaft rotates, the points Y-Y move in a circle as shown in side
view.
• The points X-X too move in a circle of the same size.
• Then from the side view, if the drive shaft A rotates through angle θ, the
new position of XX will become X1X1.
• As the cross XXYY is a rigid one, turning of XX through θ will result in an
equal rotation angle for YY, in the plane of as that of XX, i.e. Plane PP.
• However, in the plane QQ in which YY traces a circle the angle of turning
will be different and this circle is projected as an ellipse in the plane PP (i.e.
The plane of the paper).
• Therefore, in the right side view, the point Y will occupy the projected
position Y1 that corresponds to the actual position of Y2.
• Thus when shaft A turns through angle θ, shaft B turns through actual angle
φ, which in plane PP equal θ.
Assad Anis, Assistant Professor, Deptt. of 
12
Automotive Engineering

4
 7/21/2020

Automotive Transmission & Drives- AU-402

Assad Anis, Assistant Professor, Deptt. of 
13
Automotive Engineering

Automotive Transmission & Drives- AU-402

OR OR OS OS
cos   , tan   , tan   
OS RY1 SY2 RY1
tan  OR
  cos 
tan  OS
tan   tan  . cos 
Differentinating with respect to ' t ' ( is cons tan t )
d d
sec 2  .  cos  sec 2  .
dt dt
d
 Velocity of the drive shaft ,  A
dt
d
 Velocity of the driven shaft ,  B
dt Assad Anis, Assistant Professor, Deptt. of 
14
Automotive Engineering

Automotive Transmission & Drives- AU-402

sec 2
 . A  cos  sec 2
 . B

 sec 2

B

 A cos  . sec 2

Simplifyin g right hand side we get ,
 cos 
Velocity ratio , B

 A 1  cos 2  sin 2 
 B
is max imum when   n .
 A

Where n  0 ,1 , 2 , 3 ,.....
  cos  1

B
  
  1  1 . sin  
2
A  cos
MAX

 m .
B
is min imum when  
 A 2
Where n  0 ,1 , 2 , 3 ,.....
  cos 

B
   cos 
  A  MIN
0 . cos 2 
1  Assad Anis, Assistant Professor, Deptt. of 
15
Automotive Engineering

5
 7/21/2020

Automotive Transmission & Drives- AU-402

• Polar Diagram
• Velocity fluctuation of the drive shaft, can be shown with the
help of polar diagram.
• From equation it can be observed that the input and output
shaft speeds shall be equal when,
cos 
1
1  cos 2  sin 2 
cos   1  cos  sin 2 
2

 1  cos 2  (1  cos 2  )
1  cos  1
cos 2   
1  cos 2  1  cos 
tan 2   cos  , i .e . tan    cos 
Assad Anis, Assistant Professor, Deptt. of 
16
Automotive Engineering

Automotive Transmission & Drives- AU-402

B
Max . fluctuatio n in the velocity ratio ,
A
 B    1
   B   cos 
  A  MAX   A  MIN cos 
1  cos 2  sin 
 
cos  cos 
if sin  is small , sin    and cos   1
in that case , max fluctuatio n   2

d B
Angular accelerati on of the driven shaft 
dt
d B d d B
   A
d dt d
 A 2  cos   sin 2   sin 2


1  cos 2   sin 2

2

Assad Anis, Assistant Professor, Deptt. of 
17
Automotive Engineering

Automotive Transmission & Drives- AU-402

Differenti ating w .r .t  to det er min e the value of  for which
angular accelerati on of the driven shaft is max imum .
d ( acc )
0
d
d  sin 2 
   A  cos   sin 2 
2
 

d   1  cos 2   sin 2  2  
  2  A  cos   sin 2  
2 
 1  cos 2   sin 2  cos 2  sin 2  sin 2 2 


 1  cos 2   sin 2   3
 
  
cos   sin 2  1  cos 2   sin 2  cos 2   sin 2  sin 2 2  0 
First factor will be  0 for specific values of shaft angle , i .e . when
n
either cos  or sin  is zero or when   , n  0 ,1, 2 ,3 ,....
2
For other values of  , accelerati on will be max imum when ,
1  cos 2
  sin 2  . cos 2  sin 2  sin 2 2 , which when simlified
2 sin 2 
yields , cos 2 
2  sin 2 Assad Anis, Assistant Professor, Deptt. of 
Automotive Engineering
18

6
 7/21/2020

Automotive Transmission & Drives- AU-402

• PROBLEM
• Axes of two shafts, which intersect and make an angle of 200
are connected by a Hooke’s joint. At what position in the
rotation cycle of the driven shaft (i) velocity ratio will be
maximum, minimum and one, (ii) acceleration is maximum?
Show the appropriate positions on an polar diagram.
• PROBLEM
• Two shafts A and B the axes of which intersect and are
mutually inclined at 150, are connected by a Hooke’s Joint. If
the driving shaft A has a uniform speed of 2000 rpm,
determine the variation in speed of the driving shaft. The
driven shaft carries a rotating mass of 180 kNf and has a
radius of gyration of 80 mm. Determine the maximum
acceleration torque on the driven shaft?
Assad Anis, Assistant Professor, Deptt. of 
19
Automotive Engineering