Transmission 1

Report - 11
Formula Manipal
Transmission

Nitha B Venugopal
3. FWD cars have fewer parts compared to other drives,
contributing to better fuel efficiency.
4. Manufacturing costs are lower.
5. Simple rear axle design.
I. FRONT WHEEL DRIVE
In a front wheel drive system, the primary driving wheels are
in the front. The power is transmitted from the engine to the B. Disadvantages:
front wheels. The engine, differential and gearbox form one 1. Under full load, poorer drive-off capacity on wet and
unit, which can sit in front of, over, or behind the front axle. icy roads and on inclines.
This design is very compact and the space for the passengers 2. The front wheels undergo more tire wear since they
and the luggage is more. are both steered and driven
In a FWD vehicle, the engine is usually mounted transversely 3. FWD vehicles are prone to understeering during hard
(sideways) at the front of the vehicle. This layout allows the cornering. Understeer occurs when the car tends to
engine to drive the front wheels directly. move in a straight path even when it is being steered.
The transaxle assembly combines the transmission, differential This can make handling feel less responsive.
and axles into a single compact unit. The transaxle is 4. Limited off-road capability.
connected to the wheels using two driveshafts and CV joints. 5. Engine length is limited by available space.
6. Poor braking force distribution (about 75% to the
front and 25% to the rear)

II. REAR WHEEL DRIVE

Rear wheel drive system relies on the rear wheels to deliver
the power. RWD is commonly seen in trucks and performance
vehicles. It provides the necessary traction for optimal
handling in performance cars. The only drawback of RWD is
lesser traction on slippery roads.
The engine is usually mounted at the front of the vehicle
longitudinally. Engines are not usually transversely mounted
in RWD. RWD Transmissions are often longitudinal, directly
connected to the rear axle via the driveshaft.
Advantages and disadvantages of front wheel drive include: The rear axle consists of the half shafts and the differential,
which work together to transfer power from the differential to
A. Advantages:
the rear wheels. The half shafts transmit power from the
1. They provide better traction on slippery conditions. differential to the rear wheels.
FWD vehicles tend to have better traction on slippery
surfaces (like snow and rain) because the weight of
the engine is over the front wheels, helping them grip
the road better.
2. FWD vehicles have more interior space since the
layout does not require a long driveshaft to the rear
wheels. In front-wheel-drive vehicles, the engine and
the drivetrain components (transmission and
differential) are typically mounted transversely
(sideways) at the front of the vehicle. The transaxle
enables the efficient integration of both the
transmission and the differential in one compact
assembly, which fits within the limited space
available in the engine compartment.
 2

Advantages and disadvantages of rear wheel drive include:

A. Advantages
1. Provide better handling and balance. The engine is
mounted at the front and the power is transmitted to
the rear wheels; this provides a balanced weight
distribution.
2. When a RWD vehicle accelerates, the load is
transferred to the rear wheels, increasing traction.
This is particularly beneficial for performance
vehicles or vehicles that need to tow heavy loads.
3. RWD vehicles are better equipped to handle high
horsepower engines compared to FWD systems, as
the rear wheels are solely responsible for propelling
the car, reducing the likelihood of wheelspin during
heavy acceleration.
4. Tire wear is more even in a rear-wheel-drive car than
in a front wheel drive car.
5. Rear wheel drive is preferred in sports cars. It can Advantages and disadvantages of 4WD include:
accelerate faster when getting out of a corner.
A. Advantages
B. Disadvantages: 1. Better traction on surfaces in all road conditions,
especially in wet and wintry weather
1. In slippery conditions, RWD vehicles can struggle 2. An increase in the drive-off and climbing capacity
with traction. Since the rear wheels provide regardless of load
propulsion, there is less weight over them in slippery 3. Balanced axle load distribution
conditions, leading to a higher likelihood of 4. Even tire wear.
oversteering or loss of control. 5. Reduced torque steer effect
2. The driveshaft and the rear wheel powertrain take up
space which results in reduced interior room. B. Disadvantages
3. RWD vehicles are more prone to oversteering when 1. Smaller boot compared with front-wheel drive
traction is lost, which can be dangerous, particularly vehicles.
on slippery or wet roads. In contrast, FWD vehicles 2. Higher cost of manufacturing and difficulty in
tend to understeer, which is typically easier to maintenance due to additional components
recover from. 3. The 4WD system adds weight to the vehicle due to
4. The cost of manufacturing is higher and maintenance the additional components, such as the transfer case,
is difficult since it requires a driveshaft, a differential, extra differentials, and driveshafts. This can reduce
and rear axle components. fuel efficiency and overall vehicle performance.
4. 4WD systems typically consume more fuel than
III. 4 WHEEL DRIVE 2WD systems because all four wheels are being
4 Wheel drive is a drivetrain system where power is delivered powered at all times.
to all four wheels of the vehicle, enhancing traction and off-
road capability. This system is commonly found in trucks, IV. ALL WHEEL DRIVE
SUVs, and off-road vehicles. It is designed to improve a All-Wheel Drive is a drivetrain system that powers all four
vehicle’s ability to handle challenging terrains like rough wheels of a vehicle, providing improved traction and stability
roads, snow, mud, or steep inclines. in various driving conditions. Unlike Four-Wheel Drive,
In four-wheel drives, either all the wheels of a car are which is typically used in off-road vehicles and often requires
permanently driven, or one of the two axles is always linked to manual engagement, AWD systems are designed for on-road
the engine and the other can be selected manually or use and provide automatic power distribution to the wheels
automatically. without any intervention from the driver.
The engine is mounted at the front, mid or rear. In a 4WD In an AWD system, power is automatically sent to all four
vehicle, the transmission connects to the transfer case and wheels. The system is designed to detect when the vehicle is
determines the appropriate gear ratios for different driving slipping or when additional traction is needed.
conditions. Transfer case splits power between the front and The transmission is often linked to a transfer case or a center
rear axles. It sits between the transmission and the driveshafts. differential, which directs the power to both the front and rear
Two differentials, located at the front and rear is present in a axles. The transfer case is the key component that splits power
part time 4 wheel drive. A center differential is present in a between the front and rear axles. In full-time AWD, the
full time 4 wheel drive. transfer case is always distributing power to both axles, while
 3

in part-time AWD systems, it automatically distributes power

when necessary. In some vehicles, the transfer case is replaced
with a center differential. A front differential and a rear
differential are present.
Driveshafts are responsible for transmitting power from the
transfer case or center differential to the front and rear
differentials, which then deliver power to the wheels.
In AWD systems, there are both front axles and rear axles,
each connected to the respective differential (front or rear).
The axles ensure that both wheels on an axle receive power,
providing the necessary traction to move the vehicle.
In some modern AWD systems, a coupler or clutch pack is
used to manage power distribution to the rear wheels when
needed. These components can be activated electronically or
hydraulically, engaging power to the rear wheels when the
system detects a loss of traction in the front wheels.

Advantages and disadvantages of AWD include:

A. Advantages:
1. Improved traction and stability
2. Automatic power distribution
3. Better handling on slippery roads
B. Disadvantages
1. Increased fuel consumption
2. Higher manufacturing cost
3. Difficult to maintain and repair
4. Increased weight.

V. REFERENCES

[1] https://www.drivparts.com/parts-matter/learning-
center/driver-education-and-vehicle-safety/drivetrain-
guide.html#:~:text=Your%20vehicle's%20drivetrain%20work
s%20with,%2Dwheel%20drive%20(AWD).
[2]https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B978075
0650540500018
[3]https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B978184
5693619500247