TRANSMISSION SYSTEM

(GEAR BOX)
• Gear box: Necessity for gear ratios in
transmission, Synchronous gear boxes, 3, 4
and 5 speed gear boxes, Free Wheeling
mechanism, Planetary gears systems, over
drives, fluid coupling and torque converters,
Epicyclic gear box, principle of automatic
transmission, calculation of gear ratios
Automotive Gears: Gears play an important role in trucks, car, buses, motor bikes
and even geared cycles. These gears control speed and include gears like ring and
pinion, spiral gear, hypoid gear, hydraulic gears, reduction gearbox.
Depending on the size of the vehicles,
the size of the gears also varies. There
are low gears covering a shorter
distance and are useful when speed is
low. There are high gears also with
larger number of teeth.
Functions of Transmission
• To provide the high torque at the time of
starting, hill climbing, accelerating and pulling
a load since high tractive effort is needed
• It permits engine crankshaft to revolve at high
speed, while the wheels turn at slower speeds
• Variable torque by set of gears
• Vehicle speed can be changed keeping engine
speed same with certain limit
• The transmission also provides a neutral
position so that the engine and the road
wheels are disconnected even with the clutch
in the engaged position
• A means to back the car by reversing the
direction of rotation of the drive is also
provided by the transmission
 Necessity of transmission
• Variation of resistance to the vehicle motion
at various speeds
• Variation of tractive effort of the vehicle
available at various speeds
 Types of Transmission
Manual Transmission
 Sliding Mesh Gear box
 Constant Mesh Gear box
 Synchromesh Gear box

Automatic Transmission
o Over drive (semi-automatic)
o Fluid drive or Fluid coupling
o Fully automatic
 Epicyclic gear box
 Free Wheeling unit
 Torque Convertor
Sliding mesh type of gear box
Sliding mesh type of gear box
Sliding mesh type of gear box
Sliding mesh type of gear box
Sliding mesh type of gear box
Sliding mesh type of gear box
Sliding mesh type of gear box
Sliding mesh type of gear box
Sliding mesh type of gear box
Sliding mesh type of gear box
Sliding mesh type of gear box
Sliding mesh type of gear box
Sliding mesh type of gear box
Sliding mesh type of gear box
Sliding mesh type of gear box
Constant mesh gear box
Constant mesh gear box
Fluid flywheel or Hydraulic Coupling
 Fluid Coupling or Torque Convertor

A fluid coupling is a hydrodynamic device used

to transmit rotating mechanical power. It has
been used in automobile transmission as an
alternative to a mechanical clutch
Fluid coupling consists of three components, plus the hydraulic
fluid:
• The housing, also known as the shell (which must have an oil
tight seal around the drive shafts), contains the fluid and
turbines.
• Two turbines:
– One connected to the input shaft; known as the pump or
impellor, primary wheel, input turbine, driving member
– The other connected to the output shaft, known as the
turbine, output turbine, secondary wheel or runner or
driven member
• The driving turbine, known as the 'pump', (or driving torus) is rotated by
the prime mover, which is typically an internal combustion engine or
electric motor. The impellor's motion imparts both outwards linear and
rotational motion to the fluid.
• The hydraulic fluid is directed by the 'pump' whose shape forces the flow
in the direction of the 'output turbine' (or driven torus). Here, any
difference in the angular velocities of 'input stage' and 'output stage'
result in a net force on the 'output turbine' causing a torque; thus causing
it to rotate in the same direction as the pump.
• The motion of the fluid is effectively toroidal - travelling in one direction
on paths that can be visualised as being on the surface of a torus:
• If there is a difference between input and output angular velocities the
motion has a component which is circular (i.e. round the rings formed by
sections of the torus)
• If the input and output stages have identical angular velocities there is no
net centripetal force - and the motion of the fluid is circular and co-axial
with the axis of rotation (i.e. round the edges of a torus), there is no flow
of fluid from one turbine to the other.
The figure shows the power transmission system of an
automobile . The motion of the crank shaft is transmitted
through the clutch to the gear box. From the gear box the
motion is transmitted to the propeller shaft through the
universal joint and then to differential through another
universal joint. Finally power transmitted to the rear wheels
through the rear axle.
Suspension system in automobiles
 What is suspension system

• Suspension is the term given to the system of

springs, shock absorbers and linkages that
connects a vehicle to its wheels
• Serve a dual purpose – contributing to the car's
handling and braking.
• Protects the vehicle itself and any cargo or
luggage from damage and wear
SUSPENSION SYSTEM – LAY OUT
Different suspension systems

• Conventional suspension system

• Independent suspension system
• Air suspension system
• Hydro elastic suspension system
 Conventional suspension system
• Two wheels are mounted on either side
of the rigid axle
• When one wheel encounters the bump,
both the wheel do not execute parallel up
and down motion
• So it gives rise to gyroscopic effect and
wheel wobble
• Rear driving wheels mounted on live axle
suspended by laminated leaf springs and
shock absorbers
 Independent suspension system
• Both the front and the rear wheel are
utilized
• Design incorporated in the front wheels
• One wheel goes down ,the other wheel
does not have much effect
• Basic classification of the design
1. MacPherson Strut
2. Double Wishbone
3. Multi link
 MACPHERSON STRUT

• the most widely used front

suspension system in cars
• comprises of a strut-type spring
and shock absorber combo,
which pivots on a ball joint on the
single, lower arm.
• The steering gear is either
connected directly to the lower
shock absorber housing, or to an
arm from the front or back of the
spindle (in this case
• When you steer, it physically
twists the strut and shock
absorber housing (and
consequently the spring) to turn
the wheel
 DOUBLE WISHBONE SUSPENSION

Type of double-A or double

wishbone suspension
Wheel spindles are supported by
an upper and lower 'A' shaped arm.
The lower arm carries most of the
load.
If you look head-on at this type of
system, parallelogram system that allows
the spindles to travel vertically up and
down.
This side-to-side motion is known
as scrub
• Type of double-A arm suspension although the
lower arm in these systems can sometimes be
replaced with a single solid arm (as in my
picture).
• The spring/shock combo is moved from
between the arms to above the upper arm.
• This transfers the load-bearing capability of the
suspension almost entirely to the upper arm
and the spring mounts.
• The lower arm in this instance becomes a
control arm.
 Multi-link suspension
• It's currently being used in the Audi A8
and A4 amongst other cars.
• The basic principle of it is the same, but
instead of solid upper and lower
wishbones, each 'arm' of the wishbone
is a separate item.
• These are joined at the top and bottom
of the spindle thus forming the
wishbone shape.
• The super-weird thing about this is that
as the spindle turns for steering, it alters
the geometry of the suspension by
torquing all four suspension arms.
• Spring is separate from the schock
absorber.
 Advantages ( independent front )
• Bigger deflection of front wheels, no reaction on steering
• Greater distance for resisting rolling action
• Front axle (small-stub), improves road holding tendency of tyres.
• Minimum vibrations

DISADVANTAGES

• Better shock absorber required.

• Expensive
• Tyre wear increases due to transmission of torque.
 Advantages ( independent rear suspension)

• Lesser unsprung weight – improves ride ,

reduces tyre wear.
• Increased passenger space
• Rear wheels remain stable ..

DISADVANTAGES
• Increased cost
• Complicated design
• Steering action is not proper
Traverse suspension system
• Normally find on the rear suspension
• Combines independent double wishbone
suspension with a leaf spring.
• It involves one leaf spring mounted across
the vehicle, connected at each end to the
lower wishbone.
• The centre of the spring is connected to the
front subframe in the middle of the car.
• There are still two shock absorbers,
mounted one to each side on the lower
wishbones.
 Air suspension
• Comprises of compressor , suppling air to air
tank
• Pressure maintained – 5.6 to 7 kg/sq.m
• Air bags – on each wheel
• As load applied , air bags compressed
actuating the levelling valve .
• Air from the tank fills the compressrd air bag
& hence raise the level of the frame.
• Air from air bag gets released as load on
chassis decreases .
Air suspension layout
 Advantages of air suspension
• These maintain a constant frequency of vibration
whether the vehicle is laden or unladen.
• Constant frame height is maintained.
• It helps to reduce the load while the vehicle in
motion i.e. the dynamic loading as the spring rate
variation between laden and unladen weight is
much less.
• It gives smooth and comfort ride of the vehicle.
• The stiffness of the system increases with the
increase of the deflection.
 Common Air Suspension Problems
Air bag or air strut failure
- due to old age, or moisture within the air
system that damages them from the inside.
Compressor failure
- Primarily due to leaking air springs or air struts
- Compressor burnout may also be caused by
moisture from within the air system coming into
contact with its electronic parts.
 Dryer failure
- which functions to remove moisture from the
air system eventually becomes saturated and
unable to perform that function
 Hydrolastic Suspension

• a system where the front and rear suspension

systems were connected together in order to
better level the car when driving.
• The front and rear suspension units have
Hydrolastic displacers, one per side.
• These are interconnected by a small bore pipe.
Each displacer incorporates a rubber spring
• Damping of the system is achieved by rubber
valves.
• when the front wheel encounter bumps ,the piston moves
upwards pressurising the fluid to enter into the rear unit.
• Hydroelastic was eventually refined into Hydragas
suspension.......
 Hydrogas suspension
• Known as hydro-pneumatic suspension.
• The difference is in the displacer unit itself.
• In the older systems, fluid was used in the
displacer units with a rubber spring cushion built-
in.
• With Hydragas, the rubber spring is removed
completely.
• The fluid still exists but above the fluid there is
now a separating membrane or diaphragm, and
above that is a cylinder or sphere which is charged
with nitrogen gas.
• The nitrogen section is what has become the
spring and damping unit whilst the fluid is still free
to run from the front to the rear units and back.
Difference …
 HELPER SPRING

• DIRECTLY MOUNTED ON MAIN SPRINGS

• TAKE CARE OF LARGE VARIATION IN SPRING LOAD
• DURING LIGHT LOADS ,ONLY MAIN SPIRNG IS ACTIVE , AS LOAD
INCREASE TO A PARTICULAR FIXED VALUE , BOTH THE SPRINGS ARE
ACTIVE
AIR ASSISTED HELPER SPRING
LEAF HELPER SPRING