Front Drive Axle

The front drive system on the automatic four wheel drive model uses a conventional ring and pinion gear set to transmit the driving force from the engine to the front wheels. The differential allows the wheels to turn at different rates of speed while the drive system continues to transmit the driving force. This action prevents tire scuffing while turning corners and prevents premature wear on internal axle parts. The engagement of the front axle is controlled by the automatic transfer case module via the automatic transfer case and front propeller shaft. The front axle does not have a engage/disengage selector.
The drive axles are flexible assemblies consisting of an inner tri-pot joint and an outer Constant Velocity (CV) joint. The drive axles are connected by an axle shaft. The tri-pot joint is completely flexible, able to move both inward and outward. The outer CV joint is a Rzeppa design which is also flexible, but not able to move inward or outward.