Automobile/Automotive Technology Updates

  Introduction To Steering System In an automobile steering system plays a vital role for changing the direction of motion of a vehicle. This is achieved by converting the rotary motion imparted to the steering wheel by the driver into the angular turn of the front wheels. The steering system consists of following major components: 1. Steering Wheel 2. Steering Column and Shaft 3. Steering Gear Box 4. Steering Linkages ( i.e. steering arm, drag link or tie rod) 5. Steering Knuckles ( or stub axles) When the driver operates the steering wheel, the steering shaft passing through the steering column also rotates with it as it is fixed to the steering wheel. This motion of  steering shaft is transferred to the steering gearbox. It is then converted into the lateral motion (i.e. Straight line motion) by the gearbox and transferred to the steering linkages.  The left and right linkages are connected to the steering knuckles on the left and right wheels respectively. The each kn...

  Axle Beam(Rigid Axle Suspension System) The axle beam is a type of suspension system in which one set of wheels is connected laterally by a single beam or shaft. The axle beams are commonly used at the rear wheels of a vehicle, but historically they have also been used as front axles in rear wheel drive vehicles. The axle beam are typically suspended either by leaf springs or coil springs. The advantages of the axle beam is that  it is simple and easy to manufacture. The disadvantage is that it does not allow each wheel to move independently in response to bumps, and the mass of the beam is a part of the unsprung weight of the vehicle, which can further reduce the ride quality.  The following type of axles are used in automobiles: 1.  Live Axle : The live axle contains a big housing for enclosing differential which transmits rotary motion to the wheels. These axles are also known as drive axles.These can be further classified into two categories: a)  Banjo Typ...

  The spring in suspension system are used to absorb the up and down motion of the wheels, when the wheels pass through pot holes and bumps on the road. This protects the passengers from getting shocks or jerks. The springs are placed between the chassis frame and axles. The following types of springs are generally used in automobiles are as follows: Leaf Springs Coil Springs Torsion Bar >>Leaf  Spring: The leaf springs used in automobiles are made up of several flat long strips made from spring steel of rectangular cross section. Each of the strips are known as  Leaf.  The several strips are placed one on the others and are held together by means of a center bolt and clamps. The springs assembly consists of a main leaf which extends to the full length of the spring. The ends of the main leaf are formed with loops known as eyes. The other leaves in the spring are attached to the main leaf by means of center bolt and clamps as in the figure. >>Coil Spring:...

  Rigid Axle Suspension Vs Independent Suspension S.N.          Rigid Axle Suspension                                                        Independent Suspension 1.      The left and right wheels are connected by a          1. There is no axle beam connecting the left           single axle beam.                                                              and right wheels. 2.      When one of the wheel encounters road irre-        2. When one of the wheel encounters road ir-           gularities, the axle tilts and wheel no longer   ...

Introduction to Suspension System The suspension system is located between the wheels and body of the vehicle. This system is specially designed for damping the vibration and shocks which may cause damage and affect in comfort of the automobiles. The main purposes of the suspension are as follows: 1.It connects the vehicle body and the wheels, and thus supports the weight of the vehicle. 2.It works together with wheels to absorb vibrations and shocks from the road surface, so as to improve driving comfort and protect the passengers from road socks. 3.It ensures that the wheels are always firmly in contact with the road surface and maintains the inclination of body in order to improve the stability of the vehicle in any possible driving condition including acceleration, braking and cornering. The design and construction of individual suspension components is dependent on the type of suspension system used in the vehicle. The main components of a suspension system are the  springs ...

General Working Principle of Vehicle The general working principle of a vehicle can be described as follows: 1.Cranking of Vehicle:  The driver turns the ignition key, and the battery supplies the current to the starter motor. The starter motor turns the flywheel and the crankshaft, which are interconnected. 2.Starting of Engine: As the crankshaft rotated, air-fuel mixture is drawn into the cylinder and is compressed by the piston. Then, the spark plug ignites this mixture and the pressure that is subsequently generated during combustion drives the piston towards the bottom of the cylinder. The motion of the piston is transferred to the crankshaft, causing it to rotate. This action is repeated over and over again which results in engine running continuously. 3.Transmission of Engine Power to Wheel: The driver presses the clutch, which connects the crankshaft to the transmission. The driver shifts the gear shift lever into the suitable gear (i.e ...

Difference Between Turbo Charger and Super Charger There is quite a bit of terminology when it comes to automobile parts, and a person can get very easily confused. Some of the things that are bantered about may sound very appealing, but may not be what a car buyer wants in his or her vehicle. Understanding differences between various components helps to make a better decision.  Superchargers  and  turbochargers  are mentioned almost in the same breath by many people in the auto industry. There is definitely a difference between the two of them. Super Charger 1. Super Charger uses crankshaft's power to operate. 2. It is a old technology for performance boost. 3. It consumes crankshaft's power. 4. It is directly connected with the engine by a belt drive. 5. It doesn't have a waste gate, so the smog emits from a super charger. 6. It can accelerate turbine up-to 50,000 RPM (revolution per minute). 7. Super charger is easy for maintenance. 8....

History of Automobiles The production of the automobile is not the product of a single product, or a single country. It is a combined effort of many persons of different countries for several years, which puts the today's modern automobile on road. Timeline S.N.         Year/Time                       Event 1.              1769                  Captain Nicolas Cugnot   of France built the first actual self-propelled                                                      vehicle  road vehicle. It was a 3 wheeled vehicle(one wheel at the front                                    ...

Introduction An  automobile  (also called an  automotive ) is a  self-propelled  vehicle which is used for the transportation of passengers and goods on the ground. A self-propelled vehicle is that  in which power is produced within itself for its propulsion.  The various types of self-propelled vehicles are motorcycles, trucks, buses, cars, tractors, locomotives, motor boats, ships, planes etc. But automobile are slightly different from self-propelled vehicles likes locomotives, planes, helicopters etc, because automobiles are the vehicles which only run on a ground with the help of wheels and tires. The power source of an automobile is either an engine or an electric motor. The power thus generated is different transferred through different mechanisms to the wheels and turns them to move the vehicle and load. The steering mechanism is provided to turn the vehicle on either sides(left & right). The speed of the vehicle is controlled with br...