22:
65:
96:
direction is met with an "equal and opposite" reaction of the axle housing and differential, making the differential want to spin in a reverse direction, in the same way that a cyclist "pops a wheelie", lifting the bicycle in the air in the opposite direction from the turn of the wheel. The essential problem is keeping the differential from rotating during acceleration and braking. The torque tube solves that problem by coupling the
83:
38:, often used in automobiles with a front engine and rear drive. The torque tube consists of a large diameter stationary housing between the transmission and rear end that fully encloses a rotating tubular steel or small-diameter solid drive shaft (known colloquially in the U.S. as a "rope drive") that transmits the power of the engine to a regular or
42:. The purpose of a torque tube is to hold the rear end in place during acceleration and braking. Otherwise, the axle housing would suffer axle wrap, which is when the front of the differential lifts excessively during acceleration and drops down during braking. Its use is not as widespread in modern automobiles as is the
95:
The "torque" referred to in the name is not that of the driveshaft along the axis of the car but that applied by the wheels. The engineering problem that the torque tube solves is getting the traction forces generated by the wheels to the car frame. The torque moving the wheels and axles in a forward
161:
The torque tube design is typically heavier and securely ties the rear end together, thus providing a rigid rear end and assuring good alignment under all conditions. However, because of the greater unsprung weight of the torque tube and radius rods, there may be a "little hopping around of the rear
145:
that allows relative motion between the two ends of the driveshaft. In most applications, the drive shaft uses a single universal joint, which has the disadvantage that it causes speed fluctuations in the driveshaft when the shaft is not straight. The
Hotchkiss drive uses two universal joints, which
104:
housing and, therefore, propels the car forward by pushing up on the engine/transmission and then through the engine mounts to the car frame, with the reverse happening during braking. In contrast, the
Hotchkiss drive transmits the traction forces to the car frame by using suspension components such
129:
is often used for this purpose. The combination of the panhard rod and the torque tube allows the easy implementation of soft coil springs in the rear to give good ride quality, as in Buicks after 1937. Before 1937, Buicks used leaf springs, so the panhard rod was not used, though the torque tube
254:(1976-1988) and the similar Pontiac T-1000 used a torque tube and center bearing. This design was unlike any other Chevrolet model "to isolate impacts to the rear wheels, cut down on road noise, and reduce engine vibration ... also allows a reduction in the height of the drive shaft and tunnel."
652:
146:
cancels the speed fluctuations and gives a constant speed even when the shaft is no longer straight The
Hotchkiss drive uses two universal joints, which has the effect of canceling the speed fluctuations and gives a constant speed even when the shaft is no longer straight .
209:) from the 1956 through the 1966 model year. The enclosed driveshaft made for more complicated gear swaps and hampered hot rodders. The discontinued torque-tube drive was replaced by a new design utilizing an open driveshaft and a four-link axle-location system.
509:
25:
Number 2 is the torque tube, which ends on the left at the widest point at the flange with the bolts that hold it to the differential. Number 1 is the differential housing. Numbers 3 are the optional radius arms. Number 4 is the torque
322:
124:
Rambler models (1962 through 1966) used a flange and cushion mount in place of the ball and socket. Since the torque tube does not constrain the car's body to the axle in the lateral (side-to-side) direction, a
543:
669:
403, 404, and 504 models use a torque tube driveshaft. This type of driveshaft consists of an outer tube which takes the thrust of the rear wheels which are in turn driven by an inner shaft
727:
190:, but coil springs cannot. Buick's use of a torque tube and coil springs became a Buick "engineering trademark", until it was dropped with the 1961 model year full-sized models. The
186:
used it starting in 1906 (in the model D). The torque tube also allowed Buick, beginning in 1938, to use coil springs for a softer ride than traditional leaf springs, which can use a
46:, which holds the rear end in place and prevents it from flipping up or down, during acceleration and braking by anchoring the axle housings to the leaf springs using spring perches.
194:
model adopted torque-tube drive in 1941 without an enclosed joint, but utilized a "horizontal yoke at the front end of the torque tube is supported by rubber biscuits at each side."
88:
The Rover 8 had a torque-tube like backbone, lacking a pivoting joint between the transmission and the proper torque-tube to the rear differential casing, to allow suspension travel.
796:
120:
joint called a "torque ball" is used at one end of the torque tube to allow relative motion between the axle and transmission due to suspension travel. Later
682:
348:
21:
476:"Seventy Years of Buick" by George H. Damman, page 18 "Buick pioneered the torque tube this year" referring to the model D built in 1906.
243:
estate/station wagons, as well as most export-market sedans also had torque tubes, while domestic and
European-market sedan models had a
774:
692:
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610:
576:
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332:
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to eliminate driveshaft fluctuations, though six-cylinder and earlier V8 models used only one standard universal joint.
134:
suspension, which gives a softer ride than a center-mount axle on the leaf spring, as required by the
Hotchkiss setup.
370:
297:
39:
174:
Examples of torque tubes are the
American cars of the Ford brand, built through 1948, including over 19 million
178:. Ford used the less expensive transverse springs that could not take forward thrust. For many of those years,
101:
97:
486:
155:
262:
201:(AMC) continued to use the coil spring and torque tube rear suspension design on their large-sized cars (
276:
34:
system is a power transmission and braking technology that involves a stationary housing around the
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In addition to transmitting traction forces, the torque tube is hollow and contains the rotating
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The
Mercedes SLS has a torque tube, but only to align the transaxle with the engine.
82:
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switched to a new chassis in 1986 that utilized a torque tube along with an
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via a torque tube, giving it a perfect 50-50 front-rear weight balance.
71:
183:
526:"Big Buick models have new bodies, frame, suspension for '61"
633:. Vol. 189, no. 4. October 1966. p. 96 and 98
752:
from the original on 13 December 2021 – via YouTube.
275:
has used a torque tube since the 1996 introduction of the
511:
Fundamentals of
Automobile Chassis and Power Transmission
715:. Vol. 207, no. 4. October 1975. p. 116.
532:. Vol. 114, no. 4. October 1960. p. 103.
141:. Inside the hollow torque ball is the driveshaft's
657:. Vol. 2. Chilton Book. 1971. p. 989.
298:"Cut-Down Engine of the Week: Pontiac Trophy 4"
681:Kovacik, Robert T.; Creager, Clifford (1983).
508:Kuns, Ray Forest; Hall, Morris Albert (1948).
197:After the merger of Nash and Hudson in 1954,
8:
766:High-Performance C5 Corvette Builder's Guide
554:. Society of Automotive Engineers: 30. 1949.
216:was introduced as a new model, featuring an
514:. American Technical Society. p. 335.
466:– via Horseless Carriage Foundation.
734:. Vol. 161, no. 10. p. 42.
411:
409:
257:The continuing limited production of the
16:Power transmission and braking technology
424:. Vol. 104, no. 4. p. 131
403:1963-1966 AMC Technical Service Manuals.
20:
728:"Detroit Listening Post - Avanti garde"
627:"Steering and Suspension Stress Safety"
487:"When was the first torque tube Buick?"
394:1962-1966 AMC Technical Service Manuals
364:
362:
288:
602:Steve Magnante's 1001 Muscle Car Facts
568:Steve Magnante's 1001 Muscle Car Facts
726:Ross, Daniel Charles (October 1984).
687:. Thomson South-Western. p. 66.
296:Martin, Murilee (20 September 2017).
156:double-Cardan constant velocity joint
7:
797:Automotive transmission technologies
746:"Mercedes SLS Torque Tube animation"
684:Manual Transmissions and Drivetrains
489:. Antique Automobile Club of America
327:. Prentice Hall. 1991. p. 456.
654:Chilton's Foreign Car Repair Manual
418:"Clymer Tests the Hudson Hornet V8"
446:Buick: "The Golden Era", 1903-1915
14:
369:Severson, Aaron (22 March 2009).
279:version in the 1997 model year.
247:and individual rear suspension.
150:models of the 1963 through 1966
81:
63:
709:"Chevette: U.S. Economy Champ?"
235:models used a torque tube. The
416:Clymer, Floyd (October 1955).
162:end when cornering fast or on
1:
182:used the torque tube, while
263:independent rear suspension
199:American Motors Corporation
813:
641:– via Google Books.
588:– via Google Books.
432:– via Google Books.
74:chassis in side and plan.
40:limited-slip differential
605:. CarTech. p. 372.
599:Magnante, Steve (2013).
571:. Caltech. p. 372.
443:Therou, Francis (1971).
769:. CarTech. p. 67.
565:Magnant, Steve (2013).
349:"Open Shaft Advantages"
57:Rudimentary torque tube
324:Mitchell Automechanics
27:
24:
763:Thurn, Walt (2007).
449:. Decir Publishing.
375:ateupwithmotor.com
353:The Glasgow Herald
273:Chevrolet Corvette
252:Chevrolet Chevette
28:
732:Popular Mechanics
530:Popular Mechanics
422:Popular Mechanics
371:"Hotchkiss Drive"
132:cantilever spring
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214:Pontiac Tempest
203:Rambler Classic
188:Hotchkiss drive
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143:universal joint
122:American Motors
118:ball and socket
100:housing to the
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635:. Retrieved
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305:. Retrieved
302:autoweek.com
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107:leaf springs
102:transmission
98:differential
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50:Construction
31:
29:
18:
241:Peugeot 505
237:Peugeot 504
229:Peugeot 403
170:Application
152:AMC Rambler
127:panhard rod
36:drive shaft
32:torque tube
283:References
207:Ambassador
148:V8-powered
139:driveshaft
130:allowed a
116:A type of
245:transaxle
222:transaxle
212:The 1961
180:Chevrolet
164:washboard
70:The 1904
791:Category
750:Archived
493:27 April
218:inline 4
192:Nash 600
176:Model Ts
166:roads".
637:11 July
584:11 July
462:11 July
428:11 July
380:11 July
307:11 July
154:used a
72:Rover 8
773:
691:
661:
609:
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453:
331:
259:Avanti
239:, and
184:Buick
26:ball.
771:ISBN
689:ISBN
659:ISBN
639:2024
607:ISBN
586:2024
573:ISBN
495:2019
464:2024
451:ISBN
430:2024
382:2024
329:ISBN
309:2024
271:The
250:The
231:and
227:The
205:and
233:404
109:or
105:as
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277:C5
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30:A
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337:.
311:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
