Difference Between a Gearbox and Transmission

Difference Between a Gearbox and Transmission

For individuals who are not familiar with gears and transmissions, it is easy to get confused between the two. While both are utilized in motorized items such as automobiles, they are indeed different. For insight on the difference between a gearbox and transmission, continue reading below! It is our hope that this information provides you with clarity and understanding of these two elements.


Transmission is often defined as the mechanism where power is transmitted from an engine to the wheels of a motor vehicle. Simply put, the transmission is what allows the transfer of power from one spot to another. This element transmits the power in a vehicle from the engine to the driveshaft, ultimately transferring it to the driving wheels and propeller. When looking at the transmission, it is clear that the transmission works in tandem with the gearbox, yet the gearbox has a different job overall.


Now that you have a better understanding of the transmission and how it transmits power to different areas of a vehicle, now is where the gearbox comes in. The gearbox is the part of the car’s transmission that contains that train of gears. It contains numerous gears and trains that provide the speed and torque conversions from a rotating power source to another device. So, simply put, gearboxes are just used for housing the numerous gears that have different characteristics included in the transmission.

While this is not the most exciting and intuitive explanation of the difference between a gearbox and transmission, it outlines how they are different yet work together. By sharing definitions for both terms, we hope this provides clarity as to what each element does. Now that you know how they both work together in many motorized situations, such as automobiles, you should be able to confidently share this information with others.

Leave a Comment