Explain Hotchkiss drive.

    #Hotchkiss drive.

    
    

     With this construction, the center line of the final drive bevel pinion shaft will always pass through the center of the spherical cup. Now, if the propeller shaft is connected to the gear box shaft by a universal joint situated exactly at the center of that cup, no other universal joint will be needed and no sliding joint will be necessary. This is because both pinion shaft and propeller shaft will move about the same center, namely that of the spherical cup, when the axle moves up and down.

 

      In this system, the spring seats are sometime pivoted to the axle casing by means of spherical pivots. This relieves the springs of twisting stresses when the axle assumes angular positions relatively to the frame.

 

      In one design, however, two extra heavy radius rods are used in place of the torque tube to take the thrust. They are connected between the rear axle housing and the X section of the car frame. An open propeller shaft and two universal joints are used with this design.