Abstract: A north-south transaxle includes a case having a first passageway extending longitudinally and a second passageway spaced from the first passageway and being generally parallel to the first passageway and extending longitudinally. The transaxle also includes a transmission assembly disposed in the first passageway and having a first shaft portion extending through the first passageway at one end thereof and a transfer assembly disposed in the second passageway and having a second shaft portion extending through the second passageway at one end thereof. The transaxle includes first and second sprocket wheels disposed about the first and second shaft portions, respectively, a chain disposed about the first and second sprocket wheels and a snubber located on tension side of the chain for a dampening vibrations or excursions in the chain.

Abstract: A particular rear suspension supporting structure has a cross member secured to a vehicle body on opposite sides of a tunnel formed in a floor panel. A power plant, including a front power unit located in a front vehicle body portion and a rear axle differential located under a rear vehicle body portion, is located in the tunnel and extends transversely under the floor panel. The supporting structure pivotally supports rear suspension systems at its opposite ends. The cross member includes a center cross member, extending transversely over the tunnel and secured at its opposite ends to the vehicle body on opposite sides of the tunnel, and a pair of side cross members. Each of the side cross members is connected at one end to one end of the center cross member, and extends laterally so as to pivotally support the rear suspension system at another end thereof.

Abstract: A front wheel drive for use in motor vehicles has an engine which extends transversely of the direction of forward movement of the vehicle. The output element of the engine drives the input component of a continuously variable chain or belt transmission with adjustable sheaves which drives a differential with two coaxial output components serving to drive the front wheels. The axis of rotation of the output element of the engine is normal to the axes of rotation of primary and secondary cones of the infinitely variable gearing, and to the axes of rotation of the output components of the differential. The axes of rotation of the output components are parallel to axes of rotation of the primary and secondary cones.

Abstract: A suspension system for suspending a final drive unit installed on an automotive vehicle. The final drive unit including a drive shaft drivingly coupled to a cardan shaft, and output shaft drivingly coupled to road wheels for transmitting a drive from the cardan shaft to the road wheels. The drive shaft has an axis extending longitudinally of the vehicle. The output shafts have an axis extending transversely of the vehicle. The final drive unit is subject to reaction torques causing the final drive unit to make a rolling angular displacement around the drive shaft axis and reaction torques causing the final drive unit to make a pitching angular displacement around the output shaft axis during vehicle driving. The suspension system includes elastic suspension elements for elastically flexibly suspending the final drive unit, with respect to the vehicle, at suspension points located at different positions to reduce the pitching angular displacement substantially to zero.

Abstract: To reduce vibrations and noise, a final drive assembly of a vehicle is supported at four separate support points. The first and fourth support points are on the front side of the axis of a ring gear of a final reduction gear pair, and a second and third support points are on the opposite rear side. The third and fourth support points are on the same side of the axis of a drive pinion of the final reduction gear pair, as the ring gear. The first and second support points are on the opposite side of the axis to the ring gear. The support stiffness is greatest at one of the first and third support points. The support positions and support stiffness are preferably determined according to theoretically obtained mathematical relationships.

Abstract: A final drive suspension system for a motor vehicle. The final drive has a drive shaft integral with a bevel pinion meshing with a bevel wheel for turning the drive from a cardan shaft around through 90.degree. and transmitting the drive to an axle shaft having driving wheels secured thereon. The drive shaft has an axis extending longitudinally of the vehicle and the axle shaft has an axis extending transversely of the vehicle. The final drive is subject to a rolling action due to reaction torques around the drive shaft axis and to a pitching action due to reaction torques around the axle shaft axis during vehicle running. The final drive suspension system elastically flexibly suspends the final drive at least three suspension points with respect to the vehicle. The rigidities at the respective suspension points are determined in relation to the positions of the respective suspension points to cancel the rolling and pitching actions on the drive shaft axis.

Abstract: The invention relates to a bearing arrangement for a propeller shaft (11, 12) which functions to drive at least one rear axle of a commercial vehicle, in which at least one running axle is mounted forwardly of the foremost driven rear axle but rearwardly of the forward end of the propeller shaft. The bearing arrangement includes a bearing housing (17) which is mounted on a component (13) in the vehicle and carries at least one bearing for the propeller shaft (11, 12), which includes two parts (11, 12) which are mutually connected at the bearing arrangement. According to the invention, the bearing housing (17) is mounted on the running axle (3), or on one of the running axles. A separate propeller-shaft intermediate part (18) is journaled on the bearing housing (17) and each of the ends of this intermediate part are provided with connecting devices (19) for connection to the two parts (11, 12) of the propeller shaft.

Abstract: A rear-axle transmission arrangement supports the transmission of at all fastening points and forms at least its output-side fastening points and forms by support bearings fixed to the body independently of the rear-axle support to improve driving comfort and handling performance. This arrangement permits vibrations resulting from the drive torque and a rising-up of rear-axle transmission and rear-axle support to be controlled better or be avoided. In addition, forces induced by the drive torque cannot bring about any shifts in the rear-axle support causing steering movements.

Abstract: Two side pieces, each assigned to one longitudinal side of the vehicle, of rear axle supports for passenger vehicles are customarily connected to one another by two transverse tie bars arranged at a distance from one another, In a known type of vehicle, the rearward transverse tie bar, which is designed to be flexible, as seen in the direction of travel, is provided in front of a body cross-member which is directly adjacent to a spare wheel pan, near the rear crumple zone of the body at the floor. In the case of a crash, the spare wheel strikes the rearward transverse tie bar via the spare wheel pan. To increase this crumple zone in the body floor region, the rearward transverse tie bar is provided with lateral clearance between the body cross-member and the spare wheel pan. The body cross-member can thus be arranged at a correspondingly large distance from the spare wheel pan, and a corresponding free path for the spare wheel can be achieved.

Abstract: An independent wheel suspension system having a differential with an output axis therethrough, the differential being coupled to a transverse support tube pivotable about a transverse axis therethrough and by an inboard constant velocity universal joint to a wheel assembly, the wheel assembly being coupled by an arm to a torsion rod carried by the transverse support tube and pivotable about a swing axis through the inboard constant velocity universal joint, whereby the differential is adapted to pivot relative to each of the output, the transverse and the swing axes.