ELI5- how rear wheel, front wheel, and all wheel drive actually work
In: Engineering
Rear wheel drive: engine turns the back wheels. Front wheels steer but aren’t powered. If the engine is at the front (most cars), a driveshaft runs from the engine to the back axel.
Front sheet drive: engine turns the front wheels. Front wheels also steer, so there’s a complex joint so the driveshaft can keep driving the wheel when it steers. Since the engine is right there, no shaft running the length of the car, the left and right shafts come right out of the transmission stuck to the bottom of the engine (“transaxle”). The rear wheels just roll and hold up the back of the car.
All wheel drive: all the bits from front & rear wheel drive are present…both front and rear wheels are powered. There may also be an extra differential between the front and back so the car can direct power selectively to any of the four wheels (useful in slippery conditions).
Latest Answers