Propeller shaft,

Slip joints,
Universal joints ,
Differential ,
Rear axle ,
Hotchkiss Drive
&
Torque Tube Drive

S.THULASIRAM AP/MECH
Unit III
Propeller shaft:

• In a front-engine rear-wheel-drive car, power is transmitted from the

engine through the clutch and the gearbox to the rear axle shaft or shafts
used to transmit driving force to the wheels  by means of a tubular
propeller shaft.
• The rear axle must be able to move up and down on the  suspension
according to variations of the road surface.
• The movement causes the angle of the propeller shaft, and the distance
between the gearbox and the rear axle, to change constantly.
Propeller shaft
 Slip joint:
To allow for the constant movement, splines on the front end of the propeller shaft slide in

and out of the gearbox as the distance changes known as a slip joint that allows the

drive shaft to make minor length changes as the vehicle suspension height

changes.
Universal Joints:

• The shaft also has universal joints at each end, and sometimes

in the middle.
• The universal joints allow the propeller shaft to be flexible,
while constantly transmitting power.
• The propeller shaft has to meet both of the changes i.e.,
the angular change coming between the gear box and differential and
the change in length of the distance between the gear box and
differential.
• The propeller shaft is also not on the same line as the gear box
output shaft but it runs to the rear axle at an angle because the
level of the rear axle is lower than the gear box. 
Universal joints:
Differential:
• The last part of the transmission is the final drive, which incorporates

the differential.

• The differential has three functions:

to turn the direction of drive through 90 degrees to the rear wheels;

to allow either rear wheel to turn faster than the other when cornering; and

to effect a final gear reduction.

• A pinion gear inside the differential is driven by the propeller shaft and has

its gears bevelled - cut at an angle. It meshes with a bevelled crown wheel so that

the two gears form a 90 degree angle.

Differential:
 Differential(contd…):
• The crown wheel usually has about four times as many teeth as the
pinion gear, causing the wheels to turn at a quarter the propeller-
shaft speed.
• The drive is transmitted from the differential to the rear wheels by
means of half shafts, or drive shafts.
• At the differential end of each half shaft, a bevelled pinion gear is
connected to the crown wheel by means of an intermediate set of
bevel pinions.
Differential:
Rear Axle:
• Rear axle is the last member of power train.

• In most of automobiles, real axle is the driving axle.

• It lies between the driving wheels and the differential gear and transmit
power from the differential to the driving wheels.
• It consists of two half shaft connected to the differential gear, one for one
wheel.
• The inner end of the each half shaft connected to the sun gear of the
differential and the outer end to the wheel.
• The rear axle and differential gear are completely enclosed in a housing.
Rear axle:
 Functions of rear axle:

The rear axle mainly performs following two functions.

1. It carries the weight of the vehicle.

2. It rotates and transmits the power from the engine to the wheels.
 Classification of rear axle:

Rear axles are classified according to the

method of supporting:
(A.) Half floating rear axle

(B.) Three quarter floating rear axle

(C.) Full floating rear axle
(A.) Half floating rear axle:

• In this axle the bearing which

support the axle, are inside the
casing. The axle of the wheel is at
the center of the axle casing.
• The whole weight of the vehicle is
first transmitted to the
suspension spring then to the
axle casing, rear axle, wheel and
ground.
 (B.) Three quarter floating rear axle:
• In this axle bearing are on the outer side
of casing between the wheel and the axle
casing. The wheels are fitted at the end of
the axle by means of a key, bolt or nut.
• The weight of the vehicle is supported
partly by the axle casing and partly by the
axle.
• The main advantage of this type of axle
over the half floating axle is that the
major part of the load is taken by the axle
casing and not by axle. Axle only takes
care of the rotating and transmits the
power.
 (C.) Full floating rear axle:
• In this type of axle bearing are on the
outer side of casing between the wheel
and the axle casing. The axle is not
supported by the bearing at entire end
and its position is maintained by the
way that it is supported at both ends.
The wheels are fitted at the end of the
axle by means of a key, bolt or nut.
• Thus the entire weight of the vehicle is
supported by the wheel and axle casing.
The axle is relieved of all strain caused
by the weight of the vehicle on end
thrust. It transmits only driving torque.
 Hotchkiss drive
• The Hotchkiss drive is the simplest of the drive systems and is the

most widely used.

• The suspension spring are bolted rigidly to the rear axle casing.

• The front ends of the springs are pivoted on pins. These pins are

carried in brackets bolted to the vehicle frame.

• The rear ends of the springs are connected to the frame by swinging

links or shackles.

• This arrangement permits the deflection of the spring when the

vehicle is accelerated or braked.

 Hotchkiss drive(contd…)
• The propeller shaft is provided with two universal joints one at each end
and a sliding joint at one end. This arrangement permits the rear axle
assembly to move up and down due to projections and depression on the
road surface.
• Engine power is always transmitted from the gear box to the final drive in
the differential, through the propeller shaft.
• From the differential the driving torque is transmitted to the road wheels
through the axle shafts.
• In this transmission system, the suspension springs act as torque and thrust
members.
Hotchkiss drive
 Torque tube drive:
• There is a tubular member called torque tube surrounds the propeller shaft
and is bolted to the rear axle casing.
• The front end of this member is spherical in shape.
• The spherical end fits in a cup bolted to a cross member of the vehicle frame.
• The torque tube incorporates bearings which supports the propeller shaft.
• The propeller shaft itself is usually made of hollow steel tubing which
construction gives it a light weight and torsional strength.
• The suspension leaf springs are bolted to the spring seats that are provided on
the axle casing.
• Each end of the springs are shackled to the frame.
• The tubular member will transmit the thrust from the axle to the frame and
will also take the torque reaction.
• Often radius rods are used to assist the torque tube to take the twist and
thrust of the vehicle drive.
Torque tube Drive:
Torque tube drive
 Torque tube drive(contd…)
• With this construction, the centre line of the final drive bevel pinion shaft will always pass through the

centre of the spherical cup.

• Now, if the propeller shaft is connected to the gear box shaft by a universal joint situated exactly at the

centre of that cup, no other universal joint will be needed and no sliding joint will be necessary. This is

because both pinion shaft and propeller shaft will move about the same centre, namely that of the

spherical cup, when the axle moves up and down.

• In this system, the spring seats are sometime pivoted to the axle casing by means of spherical pivots. This

relieves the springs of twisting stresses when the axle assumes angular positions relatively to the frame.
END