Topic

Vehicles & Drivetrains

How vehicle systems create, transmit, absorb, and control motion.

Start Here

  • Four-Stroke Engine CycleA fourstroke piston engine completes one thermodynamic/mechanical cycle in four piston strokes and two crankshaft revolutions:

Go Deeper

  • Car Suspension BasicsA car suspension has two jobs that fight each other: keep the tires in useful contact with the road while isolating the body from bumps and wheel motion.
  • Differential GearsWhen a car turns, the outside driven wheel travels a longer arc than the inside wheel, so it must rotate faster. A differential lets the two axle shafts turn at different speeds while both are driven by one input.