What Components Make Up a Universal Joint Drive?

[StWalter]

Universal joint drives consist of universal joints, drive shafts, and intermediate supports. During installation, it is essential to ensure that the universal joint yokes at both ends of the drive shaft are positioned in the same plane. There are numerous universal joint drives in vehicles, such as the steering column beneath the steering wheel, the half-shafts of the wheels, and the drive shafts of rear-wheel-drive or four-wheel-drive vehicles—all of which fall under the category of universal joint drives. A universal joint drive is a mechanism designed to transmit power between two shafts whose relative positions continuously change during operation. Its primary function is to connect the transmission output shaft and the differential input shaft, which are not aligned in a straight line, while reliably transmitting power even when the angle and distance between the two shafts frequently vary.