The front axle of the vehicle (Fig. 34) includes: the housing, the main gear, the differential and the front wheel drive.
Fig. 34. Front axle:
1 - bottom cover; 2 - bearings of the drive gear; 3 - differential housing; 4 - drain plug; 5 - filler plug; 6 - inner joint housing bearing; 7, 24 - oil seals; 8 - inner joint housing of the wheel drive; 9, 12 - bearing caps; 10 - adjusting nut; 11 - differential bearing; 13 - lid; 14 - support washer; 15 - axle gear; 16 - satellite; 17 - crankcase; 18 - driven gear of the main transmission; 19 - Bridge mounting bracket; 20 - satellite axis; 21 - adjusting ring; 22 - main gear drive pinion; 23 - spacer sleeve, 25 - flange.
Carter 17 front axle is made in the form of a one-piece housing with a developed middle section. It is cast from cast iron. Covers 1 and 13 are attached to the middle section of the housing. On the sides of the housing there are special flanges for installing covers 9 of bearings 6 of housings of internal joints of wheel drive, as well as for brackets 19 of fastening of the front axle. Inside the housing of the front axle the main gear and differential are located.
Main gear and differential the front axle has the same design as the rear axle, and their parts are unified.
The front wheel drive transmits torque from the differential to the front steered wheels of the vehicle.
Front wheel drive (Fig. 35) is a cardan transmission that includes a shaft, outer and inner hinges. Shaft 10 of the drive is made solid. At the ends of the shaft there are splines for installing the outer and inner hinges of the drive. The outer hinge of the front wheel drive consists of a housing 1, a collar 3, six balls 4 and a separator 7. Inside the housing of the hinge and outside its collar there are special grooves in which the balls are placed. The balls provide a movable connection of the housing and the hinge collar. The collar 3 of the hinge is fixedly fixed on the splined end of shaft 10 by locking 2 and thrust 8 rings. The hinge is protected from dust, dirt and moisture by a cover 9, which has a protective casing 6. Housing 1 of the outer hinge has a splined tip, with the help of which it is connected to the hub of the front wheel of the car. The inner hinge of the front wheel drive has a design similar to the outer hinge. However, it is somewhat different from the outer hinge in its design. The housing 12 of the inner hinge also has a splined tip, with which it connects to the axle gear of the front axle differential of the car.
Fig. 35. Front wheel drive:
a - drive assembly; b - outer drive hinge parts;
1, 12 - outer and inner hinge housings; 2 - retaining ring: 3, 14 - outer and inner joint collars; 4 - ball; 5 - clamp; 6 - protective cover of the case; 7, 13 - separators of the outer and inner hinges; 8 - retaining ring of the cage; 9 - protective cover; 10 - drive shaft; 11 - cover fastening ring.