How Does a Drive Shaft Work? A Simple Guide

There’s no doubt that the automobile is one of the modern technological marvels that powers our society today. Without the car, the world as we know it would look vastly different, with a significantly reduced capacity for travel.

It’s important to understand how these machines work for two reasons. Firstly, it will give you a better appreciation for the technology that runs it. Second, you’ll also have a better ability to understand how to diagnose and fix running problems as they come up.

In this article, we’ll take a look at how does a drive shaft work. The drive shaft is one of the most important parts of the car.

How Does a Drive Shaft Work?

A drive shaft is a long shaft that transfers rotation and torque from the engine to the transmission. To better understand how that works, one needs to have a rudimentary understanding of how the engine and transmission work as well.

The basic principle behind how a car is powered is engine rotation. The combustion cycle of a petrol engine or the electric motor in a hybrid engine creates rotation in another component called the crankshaft. This rotation is eventually what turns your wheels.

However, the rotation has to be transferred from the engine or motor to the wheels. There are several components involved in that process, and the drive shaft is one of them.

With the use of interlocking gears, a drive shaft is connected to the crankshaft and thus will turn whenever the crankshaft is turned by the engine. The other end of the drive shaft is connected to the transmission.

The transmission is the component that translates the motion of the engine into gear-dependent motion. If the transmission is in a higher gear, the car will go faster but will have less torque. In a lower gear, the car’s top speed will not be as high but it will have a lot more torque.

Thus, without the crucial drive shaft function, there would be no way for the engine of the car to actually induce the rotation in the wheels necessary for a car to move.

Drive Shaft Parts

The driveshaft itself has lots of different components to it. On top of the cylindrical shaft itself, one has to remember the ball bearings like the carrier bearing that permit the motion. The carrier bearing replacement cost is a significant one.

Generally speaking, drive shaft parts are typically guaranteed by the manufacturer in whatever manufacturer warranty they provide when the car is purchased new. If your drive shaft fails before the end of the warranty, then be sure to have the repair covered for you.

Know Your Car

There you have it. Now that you know the answer the questions of how does a drive shaft work and what does the drive shaft do, you should be far better equipped to understand your car and diagnose any drive shaft related problems.

For more auto advice, check out the rest of the website before you leave!