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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