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This is an example of a "dead axle". A "live axle" not only connects two wheels, but also drives them. A beam axle, rigid axle, or solid axle is a dependent suspension design in which a set of wheels is connected laterally by a single beam or shaft. Beam axles were once commonly used at the rear wheels of a vehicle, but historically, they have ...
A tandem axle is defined as two or more consecutive axles whose centers are spaced more than 40 inches (102 cm) but not more than 96 inches (244 cm) apart. [10] Axles spaced less than 40 inches (102 cm) apart are considered a single axle. [11] In effect, the formula reduces the legal weight limit for shorter trucks with fewer axles (see table below
De Dion rear axle. A de Dion axle is a form of non-independent automobile suspension. It is a considerable improvement over the swing axle, Hotchkiss drive, or live axle. [1] Because it plays no part in transmitting power to the drive wheels, it is sometimes called a "dead axle". [2]
Unsprung mass is a consideration in the design of a vehicle's suspension and the materials chosen for its components. Beam axle suspensions, in which wheels on opposite sides are connected as a rigid unit, generally have greater unsprung mass than independent suspension systems, in which the wheels are suspended and allowed to move separately.
The front wheel drive Citroën Traction Avant from 1934 was the first to implement the idea in a serially produced car, featuring independent front torsion bar suspension and a flexible trailing dead axle, also sprung by torsion bars. The flexibility of the axle beam provided wheel location features like a twist beam axle. [6]
The drive axle may be a live axle, but modern rear-wheel drive automobiles generally use a split axle with a differential. In this case, one half-axle or half-shaft connects the differential with the left rear wheel, a second half-shaft does the same with the right rear wheel; thus the two half-axles and the differential constitute the rear ...
Some vehicles with live-axle suspensions cannot use a Watt's linkage due to design or other practical constraints; these often incorporate a Panhard rod as a component of the front suspension. The Mercedes-Benz G-Class was redesigned in 2018 to include a Panhard rod on the rear axle to improve its on-road handling characteristics.
A vehicle with high RTI with open diffs tends to make uninterrupted (safer) progress as all wheels remain in contact with the ground during the maneuver. One chassis concept that often allows comparatively high RTI is the live axle . Independent suspensions have tended to have reduced articulation while offering better on-road comfort, and are ...