LAYOUT OF CHASSIS & TYPES OF DRIVES OF AUTOMOBILES

LAYOUT OF CHASSIS

The main parts of and automobile are mounted on the chassis. The layout of these components on the
chassis are different in different types of vehicles, i.e., cars, jeeps, trucks, buses, etc. The main difference
in the layout of this chassis is the position of the engine.

The engine is located at the front of the vehicle, followed by a clutch, gear box, propeller shaft, universals
joints, differential, rear axle, etc. The radiator is located in front of the engine. Various other parts of the
vehicle not shown in the layout are dynamo, horn, steering box, fan, timing gear, carburetor, air filter,
gear control, steering wheel, cylinder, petrol tank, rear axle, front axle. The drive from the gear box is
conveyed through a short shaft to the front universal joint of the propeller shaft. From the propeller shaft
it is conveyed to the rear wheel through a sliding splined type of joint. The bevel gear of the short shaft is
driven by rear universal joint. This bevel gear meshes with a larger bevel gear which drives the two rear
axle shafts through a differential gear.

1.8. TYPES OF DRIVES OF AUTOMOBILES

Some of the important drives of automobiles may be classified as follows:

1. Front engine - Rear wheel drive

2. Rear engine - Rear wheel drive

3. Front engine - Front wheel drive

4. Four wheel drive

1. Front Engine - Rear Wheel Drive

In this layout a front mounted engine-clutch-gear box unit drives a beam type rear axle suspended on leaf
sprints through a propeller shaft with two universal joints. With the help of coil sprints, the front wheels
are independently sprung. As shown in Fig. 1.4 this layout is one of the oldest layout which remained
unchanged for many years. some of the advantages provided by this system are :

(a) Balanced weight distribution between the front and the rear wheels.

(b) Easy front wheel steering.

(c) Behind the rear seats, large luggage space is available.

(d) Accessibility to various components like engine, gearbox and rear axle is better in
comparison to other layouts. The control linkages-accelerator, choke, clutch and gearbox are short and
simple.

(e) Full benefits of the natural air stream created by vehicles movement is taken by the
forward radiator resulting in reduced power losses from a large fan.

(f) Small length of the propeller shaft permits the angularity of the universal joints to be
small and easily provided by simple types.
 By mounting the rear wheel drive assembly on the body unit and using universally jointed shafts
to independently steer rear wheels as shown in Fig. 1.5, the layout design can be modified and improved.
It provides number of benefits like improved handling, comfort and rear wheel grip as well as reduced
unspring weight.

2. Rear engine-Rear wheel drive

This arrangement eliminates the necessity for a propeller shaft when the engine is mounted
adjacent to the driven wheels. The engine-clutch-gear box-final drive form a single unit in this layout. As
shown in Fig. 1.6, to reduce the overhang distance between the wheel centres and the front of the
engine, the final drive is generally placed between the clutch and the gear box. In comparison to front
wheel drive it has a simpler drive shaft layout. Further, the weight of rear engine on the driving wheels
provides excellent tranction and grip especially on steep hills as well as when accelerating. Inspire of the
low proportion of the vehicle weight transferring to the front wheels, very effective rear wheel braking is
possible. Due to the absence of the propeller shaft the obstructed floor space is reduced. The front of the
vehicle can, therefore, be designed for good visibility and smooth air flow. the exhaust gases, fumes,
engine heat and noises are also carried away from the passengers. It results in compact layout and short
car.

The layout also has got certain disadvantages like restricted luggage space due to narrow front
compartment which houses the fuel tank also. Natural air cooling is not possible, it requires a powerful
fan. The floor is further obstructed due to long linkage required for the engine, clutch and the gear box
controls. The rearward concentration of weight causes the vehicle to be more affected by side winds at
high speeds. this makes the vehicle unstable resulting in over steering and turning very sharply into a
curve. This necessitates the steering correction in the opposite direction.

3. Front engine-front wheel drive.

This layout provides optimum body-luggage space and a flat floor line resulting in a transverse
longitudinal engine position. This drive pulling the car along provides good grip and good road holding
on curves due to major weight at the front. The chances of skidding especially on slippery surfaces are
very much reduced. Good road adhesion is provided by the large proportion of the vehicle weight acting
on the driven wheels. when the vehicle is to be steered in to the curve, it provides understeer
characteristics always preferred by drivers.

The combination of steered and driven wheels with short drive shafts provides the main disadvantage.
This requires special universal joints and a more complicated assembly. to prevent the rear wheels from
skidding under heavy braking, the reduced weight at the rear usually necessitates special arrangement.

4. Front wheel steering Rear wheel drive

1. Access to the engine is very easy.

2. Slowing down of the water circulation causing cooling troubles can be avoided and long
hose connections can be saved due to situating of the radiator in the main air stream.

3. This arrangement helps minimize the linkage between the clutch, gear box and engine.

4. The angularity of the propeller shaft is kept to minimum and there is no need of joints
due to the shaft length.
Rear Engine-Rear Wheel Drive

Advantages

1. Better road adhesion preferably on steep hills and while accelerating with increased weight on the
driving wheels.

2. Generally a proportional part of weight of the car is transferred to the front wheels while braking.
Therefore, due to the firm road surface contact maintained by rear engined car results in assistance to
stopping of the vehicle.

3. In this arrangement, front wheels are only for steering purposes.

4. The necessaity of the propeller shaft is altogether eliminated due to the combination of engine,
gear box and final drive. This also requires only one common oil sump.

5. Good visibility and stream lining is provided by proper design of vehicle front.

6. The passengers are kept away from inconveniences like noise, heat and fumes.

Disadvantages

1. At high speed, the increased weight at the rear end makes the vehicle unstable.

2. To control the engine, clutch and gear box, long linkages are required.

3. The width of the car at the front gets reduced for accommodating the movement of the steering
wheels resulting in reduction of size of the luggage compartment for given length and with of the car.

4. The wheels get turned too sharply into the curve due to tendency of over-steering. This
necessitates the turning of the steering wheels in the opposite direction to make correction by the driver.

5. Efficient cooling becomes very difficult to obtain due to screening of the engine by the vehicle
body.

Front Engine - Front Wheel Drive

Advantages

1. As compared to rear wheel driven car, there is a faster and safer travelling due to good road
holding on curves.

2. Good road adhesion is obtained due to a large part of the vehicles weight being carried on the
driving wheels under normal conditions.

3. Under-steer conditions generally preferred by many drivers are promoted by this type of drive.
The car comes back to closer radius if the throttle is released. This makes the steering wheel to run more
in the direction of turn to make it a better condition.

4. A lower flat floor lines is provided due to dispensing with the propeller shaft resulting in lowering
of centre of gravity.
 5. The engine, clutch, gear box and final drive are combined similar to the rear engine car. This
provides a more comfortable drive due to final drive spring.

Disadvantages

1. Due to the weight of the vehicle moving to the rear, the weight on the driving wheels is reduced on steep
gradients as well as while accelerating.

2. The tractive effort which is most needed on steep gradients and during accelerating is reduced.

3. This disadvantage becomes more serious on slippery gradients.

4. Under these conditions certain modifications in modern designs have been made to ensure provision of
sufficient traction.

5. Four-wheels drive

To increase maneuverability of the vehicle required to travel on rough unconstructed roads and tracks
another arrangement known as four-wheel drive is provided. due to all the four wheels getting driven,
whole of the weight of the vehicle is available for traction. But this advantage is not worth the additional
cost on good road surfaces. The system is provided in jeeps which are known as 4 X 4 wheel drive
vehicles.

6. Left hand and Right and drives

In different countries, the automobiles are driven on different sides of the road, In United Kingdom and
all the countries, which were once colonies of the British Rule. The vehicles are driven on the left hand
side of the road. In all other countries of the world, normally vehicles are driven on the right hand side of
the road. For better driving control, the vehicle drivers must be nearer to one another while passing or
crossing. Similarly for safety consideration, the drivers must be in the centre of the road while driving.
Therefore, two types of vehicles are manufactured.

(a) Left hand drive: The steering is fitted on the left hand side of the automobile and such
vehicles are convenient to drive in countries following right hand drive rules, e.g. U.S.A., Russia,
European countries.

(b) Right hand drive : The steering is fitted on the right hand side of the automobile and such
vehicles are convenient to drive in countries following left hand drive rules, e.g. U.K., India, Pakistan.
However, though rare, left hand cars also driven in such countries.
GEOMETRY INFORMATION

PART 1 BASIC WHEEL ALIGNMENT TERMS;

There are three main wheel alignment angles, which determine how each wheel is positioned
relative to the car, the ground and each other. These are camber, caster and toe. Camber and Toe
angles refer directly to the wheel, while Caster on the other hand is a measurement of the
suspension geometry.

We all know what Camber is, right?

Camber is the inclination of the wheel from the vertical relative to the ground when viewing
from the front (or rear) of the car.

a) Positive (+ve) camber is when the top of the wheel is laying outwards.
b) Negative (-ve) camber is when the top of the wheel is laying inwards.

Typical camber settings for most road cars are between 0 and -1.0 degree.

In general, an easy way to increase cornering performance along with matching suspension and
tyre upgrades, is to dial in some extra negative camber. For most performance road cars, a
suitable camber setting is in the range of 1.0 and 2.0 degrees. One advantage of this is that as
the centrifugal force during hard cornering causes the body of the car to roll outwards, the
outside tyres which take the brunt of the cornering force, will sit more upright relative to the
ground maximising the tread to road contact and ultimately resulting in more grip. However,
dialing in too much negative camber can have adverse effect not only on the more obvious tyre
wear, but also on performance as well as safety, stability and driving pleasure. Therefore, as with
any vehicle modifications, even the simplest suspension geometry alterations should be done
carefully, and best left to the professionals.
Ive heard of caster before, but why is it important?
Caster is the backward or forward inclination of the steering axis when viewing from the side of
the car. More precisely, it is an angle between upper and lower steering axis pivot points when
viewing from the side of the car. In the case of a McPherson strut suspension layout, the
respective points are strut mount for the upper pivot and ball joint in the lower control arm as the
lower pivot.

Positive (+ve) caster is when the upper pivot is behind of the lower pivot.

Negative (-ve) caster is when the upper pivot is in front of the lower pivot.

The importance of a higher positive caster is quite impressive as the benefits greatly outweigh
any detrimental effects. The benefits of increased caster are;

Increased dynamic negative camber in turns

Improved high speed stability

Improved road feel, steering feedback and sensitivity

Increased steering weight, this can be used to overcome some over

compensating power steering systems

Improves steering turn-in response during corner entry

Is toe referring to tracking?

Toe is in angular position of the wheel when viewing from the top expressed in degrees, or more
commonly known as the difference in distance between the front and rear of the tyres expressed
in inches or millimetres. Toe is also referred to as tracking, and is known as either;

Neutral Toe, where the distance between the front and rear of two opposing
wheels is equal, or in other words both wheels are pointing straight ahead.
 Toe-in, where the distance between two opposing wheels is greater at the
rear of the two wheels, in other words the front of the wheels are closer
together then the rear.

Toe-out, where the distance between two opposing wheels is greater at the
front of the two wheels, in other words the front or the wheels are further
apart then the rear.

Typically, on most road cars toe is set to between neutral and some toe-in. Generally, toe-in
improves stability and reduces nervousness, while neutral to toe-out improves turn-in and
sharpness.

PART 2 BASIC SUSPENSION GEOMETRY TERMS;

Steering Axis Inclination (SAI) (also known as King Pin Inclination or KPI) is similar to caster
above, as it is an angular measure of the upper and lower steering axis pivot points, but unlike
caster which is measured from the side, SAI is measured from the front of the car.

Thrust Angle is the difference of rear wheels individual toe angles. If individual toe angle of
each rear wheel is not equal, then the rear wheels will try to turn the car from the back, not unlike
a rudder on a boat. This is known as thrust angle.

Anti- Geometry;
There are a number of anti geometry features, with the main three known as;

Anti-lift refers to the amount of built-in anti-lift built into the front
suspension of front/all-wheel-drive cars (relies on drive torque). The more
anti-lift there is, the less the front will lift during acceleration, at a cost to
traction and comfort. Generally, reducing the amount of Anti-lift geometry
improves traction across the front axle, and therefore reduces understeer so
often found on most road cars.
 Anti-dive refers to the amount of built-in anti-dive in the front suspension
of any car (relies on braking torque). The more anti-dive, the less the front of
the car will compress during braking, at a cost to comfort and increased
chance of brake lock-up.

Anti-squat refers to the amount of anti-squat built into the rear suspension
of rear-wheel-drive cars (relies on drive torque). The more anti-squat, the less
the rear of the car will compress during acceleration, at a cost to comfort and
increased chance of loss of traction at lower speeds.

In simple terms, increasing anti- geometry has a similar effect of increasing suspension stiffness.
Some is good, but too much can be detrimental. Therefore the exact amount must be carefully
designed by suspension engineers.

Toe (Bump) Steer;

Toe Steer is where during vertical suspension movement, the suspension geometry is designed in
such a way that results in some change to the toe-angle. While a minor amount of toe steer can
be acceptable, it is generally best to have as little toe steer or none at all.

PART 3 BASIC VEHICLE DYNAMICS TERMS;

There are many factors that determine the dynamic behaviour (handling) of a car, such as front to
rear weight distribution, tyre grip, suspension and geometry design, specifications and settings to
name just a few. It is quite a complex mix, but the end result determines the basic handling
characteristics; these being understeer, neutral and oversteer.

Understeer is a term used to describe when the car travelling along a curve actually travels at a
greater curve (or a straight line) to that of the intended path. In other words, instead of going
around a corner, the car pushes wide and does not want to turn. Some understeer is arguably
desirable, as it is a safe state, easier to control and recover from. This is the reason why most
production road cars are designed with some level of understeer.

Oversteer is simply the opposite to understeer, where the rear of the car steers more than the
front resulting in the vehicle going into a spin. This can be difficult to control and contain by an
average driver, and therefore can be classed as the more dangerous of the two extremes.

The ultimate vehicle dynamic however is neutral balance, although being the most challenging to
achieve.

Rear Axle or Live Axle : Auto Parts

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 encloses in a housing
which protecting them from water, dust and injury.

Function 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 axle classified by two methods.

1. According to the design of axle:

(A.) Banjo axle:

This type of axle is a single shaft and final drive assembly is carried in a separate
casing which is bolted to the axle housing. The banjo construction is often used for
smaller and lighter vehicle.

(B.) Split axle:

In this type of axle split shaft are used with the central housing contain the
differential gear and it is fitted with a tube on each side to carry the half axles and
bearing.

2. According to the method of supporting:

(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.