CV joints are components that are often used in vehicles that have front-wheel drive, although they are also common in rear-wheel drive vehicles with independent suspensions. The term “constant velocity” refers to the speed of rotation of these joints, which are not affected by vertical or horizontal movement. This is not the case with universal joints. This makes the homokinetic joints well suited to transfer energy from a transaxle to the wheels of a vehicle since this usually involves both vertical movement due to the suspension of the vehicle, and horizontal movement when the wheels are rotating. Hinged CV Joint Repair in Phoenix AZ is just one of the many things to consider when repairing a vehicle.
Some vehicles still use universal joints on their drive axles, although many vehicles use a homokinetic joint shaft, which is much more common. In vehicles that have the transverse engine and a transmission at the same end as the drive wheels, typical CV shafts are used. These middle axles are also found in many of the vehicles that have both independent rear suspension and four-wheel drive due to the horizontal movement of the tires in relation to its rear differential. Universal joints are most commonly found in vehicles that do not have independent rear suspensions and drive shafts because of the limited range of motion in those situations. It is important that the mechanic knows this when taking in your car for CV joint repair in Phoenix, AZ.
In most cases, a hinged shaft CV consists of an axis that is attached to two constant velocity joints through grooved couplings. When an articulated CV shaft is constructed in this way, the joints are often held in place with safety rings. It is also common for a homokinetic joint shaft to connect to a transmission or differential with a grooved coupling and safety ring as well. Some applications have CV joint shafts that are connected to the transmission or differential through a female slotted coupling, in which case a roller pin is often used to hold them in place. Each homokinetic joint is normally covered by a malleable component that keeps the dirt and dust from its delicate internal components.