Rear
End Tunnel
The rear end tunnel
provides clearance for the drive shaft and the housing of the
differential. It allows the rear end to travel up and down with
suspension motion; it clears the differential housing by a maximum of
three or four inches when the suspension is fully compressed. Often
forming the front of the trunk floor, it is attached to the wheel wells
on each side as well as the floor pan and the trunk floor.
Reverse-flow Muffler
The reverse-flow has
multiple pipes, and is used to lessen the noise made from an automobile.
Four chambers and a double jacket are used to accomplish muffling of the
exhaust noise. Exhaust gases are directed to the third chamber, forced
forward to the first chamber, from where they travel the length of the
muffler and are exhausted into the tail pipe.
Ring Gear
The ring gear is connected
to the differential case. A ring gear attached to a pinion gear and
shaft turns the differential case. The propeller shaft connects the
transmission output shaft to the differential pinion shaft. It is
connected to the ring gear pinion shaft.
Roller Bearings
They are used in wheel
bearing applications. They consist of
1. An inner "race" which is a hardened ring that is slightly
tapered on the outside and
2. An outer race, a hardened ring that is slightly tapered on the
inside and
3. A set of rollers contained in a cage. These bearings must not be
crushed together, (the angle of assembly drives them together) creating
friction if they are tightened too far. Roller bearings need to be
repacked periodically with fresh grease to insure a long life.
Rotary Engine
The rotary engine applies
power directly to the transmission. Its construction allows it to
provide the power of a conventional engine that is twice its size and
weight and that has twice as many parts. A large combustion chamber in
the form of a pinched oval, called an epitrochoid is the basic unit of
the rotary engine. Within this chamber all four functions of a piston
take place simultaneously in the three pockets that are formed between
the rotor and the chamber wall. Just as the addition of cylinders
increases the horsepower of a piston-powered engine, so the addition of
combustion chambers increases the power of a rotary engine. Larger cars
may eventually use rotaries with three or four rotors.
Rotary Valve
The "rotary valve"
is the key to the operation of power steering. It directs the power
steering fluid under pressure to either side of the rack piston, which
converts hydraulic power to mechanical force. Friction from the wheel
causes a torsion bar in the rotary valve to deflect. This changes the
position of the valve spool and sleeve, directing fluid under pressure
to the proper end of the power cylinder. The difference in pressure on
either side of the piston (which is attached to the rack) helps move the
rack to reduce turning effort
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