Driveshaft

Repairs can be expensive to an automobile’s complex drive train, which transmits power through the driveshaft from the engine to the wheels; let the trained technicians at Ewell Auto Service in Fort Worth inspect your car’s drive train and service it as needed.

The differential is part of the drive train in an automobile that allows the wheels to turn at different speeds.

A differential is a set of gears used on the axle. When the vehicle is moving, the wheels must be interconnected, but at the same time the wheels must be free to revolve at different speeds when necessary. For example, when a car goes around a curve, the outer wheel must revolve faster than the inner wheel. The gears in the differential adjust for this difference. On some surfaces, such as gravel or ice, when one or both wheels may spin, the torque supplied by a differential can be problematical, and so additional features may be added to the differential, such as the limited slip differential, the locking differential, or the electronic traction control system using ABS. A four-wheel-drive vehicle will have one differential for each pair of wheels and possibly a center differential between the front and rear axles. (Vehicles without a center differential should not be driven on paved roads in four wheel drive.)

The driveshaft has its own gears.

The driveshaft is usually a rigid shaft that goes between the transmission and the wheels. Great stress is placed on the driveshaft as it carries so much power. There are joints, called universal or U joints, that couple the drive shaft and to the wheels.

Universal joints (U-Joints) help the driveshaft move up and down.

A U-joint allows the parts of the drive train not in line with each other to have a certain amount of freedom of movement in any direction while at the same time continuing to transmit power specifically for rotary motion. U-joints come into play when a vehicle needs to turn. The rigid driveshaft can move freely in the U-joint. Bad U-joints could cause the driveshaft to separate from the car, which of course would be a disaster.

Slip joints are another kind of coupling to the driveshaft.

Slip joints allow driveshafts to adjust their lengths. As the car moves, the whole suspension system puts pressure on the driveshaft, and the slip joint aids in matching the driveshaft’s movement to the movement of the suspension.

All of the parts of the drive train—the gearboxes, the driveshaft, the u-joints or slip joints, the differential, and all the rest—need proper lubrication and routine maintenance if you are to be able to travel safely in your car and have the best mileage from your vehicle; allow the expert technicians at Ewell Auto Service in Fort Worth to help you take care of your car’s drive train.

Air Conditioning | Brakes | Computer Diagnosis | Cooling System | CV Boot & Axel | Driveshaft | Electrical System | Emissions System | Engines | Oil Change & Lube | Starting System | Steering System | Suspension & Alignment | Tires & Wheels | Transmissions | Tune Up | Paint & Body Shop | State Inspection