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Drive Train Explained

Posted by on 2/12/2014 to Tire/Wheel/Steering
Front-wheel drive is the most popular driveline configuration used in cars today. In front wheel drive vehicles, the engine, transmission, drive gears and differential are packed into a unit located in the front of the vehicle, driving the front wheels. It offers better fuel mileage and superior space efficiency. The compactly packaged powertrain in the front allows manufacturers to use much lighter materials to build the rest of the vehicle, which reduces its overall weight, resulting in better fuel economy. Moreover, the differential in a front-wheel drive vehicle is located within or attached directly to the transmission, and the power is supplied directly to the front wheels via constant velocity (CV) axles. With fewer moving components and lesser distance to transfer the power to the drive wheels, the power loss is least in a front-wheel drive vs. real-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. This improves fuel mileage and provides better acceleration. As the complete drivetrain is located in front, the passenger or cargo area is roomier in a front-wheel drive vehicle. With all the weight positioned over the front driving wheels, front-wheel drive offers good traction on slippery and snow ridden surfaces. In a rear-wheel drive, the power is supplied to the rear driving wheels. In this layout, the power is transferred from the engine in the front to a transmission, which transfers power through a driveshaft to the rear-axle gears and the rear driving wheels. The front wheels provide steering while the rear wheels move the vehicle. In a rear-wheel drive car, the weight is almost equally distributed on the front and rear, which improves its balance and handling. The weight transfer to the car's rear upon acceleration provides a quick start and boosts traction. Most sports and race cars as well as heavy luxury cars come with a rear-wheel drive. In heavy-duty vehicles and trucks, rear-wheel drive provides sturdy durability, and the weight of the cargo pushes down on the rear driving wheels, increasing traction. In an all-wheel drive, the powertrain typically uses a front, rear and center differential to transfer power from the engine to all the wheels of a vehicle. An all-wheel drive offers better acceleration than a front-wheel or a rear-wheel drive in inclement weather conditions. This is because the traction needs are evenly dispersed across all the four tires during acceleration. All-wheel drive handles muddy, sandy and slippery off-road trails very well, reducing the chances of a vehicle getting stuck. Your personal driving habits and needs should be taken into consideration when choosing a drive type.

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