Front-Wheel Drive
More and more vehicles with front-wheel drive have seen application since the 60s. It is primarily used in association with the front engine.
In order to transfer the driving power on to the driven front wheels, constant-velocity (free of fluctuations in angular velocity and torque) joints are required. Spherical constant-velocity joints which transfer high torques over large angular ranges are generally used in today's vehicles,.
The compact drivetrain unit composed of the engine, transmission and differential, installed primarily in the form of a transversely mounted engine-transmission assembly and a simple rear axle design, provide additional space in FWDs. This is of particular significance in smaller passenger cars.
The engine's positioning in the area of the driven axle results in front-wheel driven designs having a better traction at small pay-loads and accelerations compared to the standard drive.
At higher pay-loads combined with higher acceleration values on roads with good grip, the load on the driven axle drops, hence leading to a reduction of the utilisable traction. This disadvantage is accepted in lightweight van-type trucks in order to realize as even and as large a loading space as possible. The advantage of the FWD with respect to weight is negligible compared to the standard drive.
Front-wheel driven vehicles are inherently more drivable, showing a good-natured and easily controlled driving behavior.
The assembly of engine, transmission, and front axle as a single block brings it closer to automated installation which leads to a reduction in production costs.