driveshafts

drive shafts connect the gearbox to the wheels to drive the car. the drive shaft connecting to the wheels needs to be able to move up and down while still supplying the constant driving force to the wheels, the constant velocity and universal joints make it possible for the drive shaft to move with the motion of the wheels while still rotating them.

constant velocity joints:


constant velocity joint

because of the configuration of the constant velocity joint it allows it to rotate at large angles up to 55degrees. they are covered in grease to lower the friction. they are also covered by a rubber boot to stop anything from getting inside the joint. these boots can become brittle over time and split which causes the cv joints to wear out a lot faster. 



universal joints are usually used in rear wheel drive vehicles to connect the gearbox at the front of the car to the wheels at the back of the car. they can withstand larger rotational force than the cv joints.