What Do Front Axle and Rear Axle Mean?
2 Answers
Front axle is a device that transmits various directional forces between the frame and front wheels, as well as the bending moments and torques generated. Rear axle is a device used to support the wheels and connect the rear wheels, serving as the drive axle for rear-wheel drive vehicles. The front axle is mostly a non-driven axle, also known as a steering axle, generally distributed at the front end of the vehicle, hence called the front axle. It transmits the steering force output by the steering gear to the wheels to achieve vehicle steering. It is connected to the steering system via the steering knuckle. The rear axle refers to the rear drive shaft component of the vehicle's power transmission, consisting of two half-axles that can perform differential movement, and is also a device used to support the wheels and connect the rear wheels.
When I drove trucks before, I paid special attention to the front and rear axles. Simply put, the front axle is that big iron beam at the front wheels, and the rear axle is the massive one under the rear wheels. The front axle not only has to bear the weight of the engine but also handles the steering action, so you often see complex steering structures on truck front axles. The rear axle mainly takes care of driving and load-bearing—those dual wheels on the back of big trucks are all connected to the rear axle. The difference between these two axles becomes even more pronounced during off-roading: the front axle handles steering and some power, while the rear axle provides the main thrust. Last time I got my pickup stuck in mud, I could clearly feel the rear axle working hard to output torque to get us out. If you're modifying an off-road vehicle and raising the chassis, you’ll need to upgrade to reinforced front and rear axles, or they’ll definitely deform when hitting bumps and ditches.
