It's all about Drive Trains

Drivetrains:

It is the group of components which delivers engine power to the driving wheels.

The components of a drivetrain are Engine, Transmission, Drive/Propeller shaft, Differential,Drive axle, Transaxle.

Types of Drivetrains:

There are four types of drivetrains 

1. Rear-wheel Drive
2. Front-wheel Drive
3. All-wheel Drive
4. Four-wheel Drive

Rear-wheel drive:

• A rear-wheel drive system relies on the rear wheels to deliver the power. 
• RWD is commonly found on trucks and performance vehicles, it gives needed traction with heavy loads and optimal handling on performance cars.
• Drawback of rear-wheel drive is reduced traction on slippery roads; this might not be ideal for snowy climate.

Advantages:

• Superior handling.
• Exceptional braking.
• Quick initial acceleration.
• Excellent for performance driving.

Disadvantages:

• Not ideal for winter weather – poor traction in snow and ice.
• Traction on wet roads not as good as FWD.

Front-wheel drive:

• The majority of vehicles on the road today are using front-wheel drive system. In this system, the front wheels provide the power. 
• All of the drivetrain components are located in the front of the vehicle which increases traction in the front wheels.
• Vehicles with front-wheel drive are typically lighter, helping to improve gas mileage.

Advantages:

• Fewer parts mean lower purchase price and repair bills.
• Lighter weight helps vehicle achieve better gas mileage.
• Better traction than rear-wheel drive.
• With most of weight over front wheels, it’s balanced for traction.
• Less aggressive handling is good for new and cautious drivers.

Disadvantages:

• Not as effective in low-traction situations like gravel and ice
• Nose heavy makes it harder to handle in high speeds or with heavy loads.
• Can cause understeer where front wheels lose traction and car drifts outside of the turn.

Four-wheel drive:

• A four-wheel drive system have two drive shafts and a transfer case to deliver power to all four wheels. Today’s 4WD systems are either full-time or part-time.
• In a full-time system, the vehicle automatically switches between two-wheel and four-wheel drive while a part-time system requires the driver to manually engage the four-wheel drive system.

Advantages:

• Excellent for towing trailers or big loads.
• Ideal for serious off-roading, crawling over rocks and moving through mud.
• Powers through deep snow.
• Delivers the traction needed for climbing hills.

Disadvantages:

• More expensive than FWD and RWD due to extra parts.
• Lower gas mileage due to heavier drivetrain system.
• Have to remember to engage it in a part-time system.

 

All-wheel drive:

• AWD delivers power to all four wheels. Most all-wheel drive systems are always on, using sensors to determine which wheel needs power.
• However, be aware that systems vary and some all-wheel drive setups stay in two-wheel drive most of the time and only go into all-wheel drive mode when the sensors detect the vehicle is losing traction.

Advantages:

• Better acceleration.
• Improved traction in snow and on wet roads.
• Always on – don’t have to think about engaging the system.

Disadvantages:

• More expensive with more parts than FWD and RWD.
• Worse gas mileage due to vehicle being heavier.
• Can cost more to repair than a FWD or RWD vehicle.