Drive shafts and joints. Purpose, device and types

5.5.5 Tripod type constant velocity joint

The constant-velocity joint with a tripod also consists of a body, which in turn contains a hinged joint with rollers. One shaft is connected to the body, and a second shaft is installed in the hinged joint.

Usually, both types of equal angular velocity joints are used for connecting the drive shaft with the steering knuckle of the drive wheel and the gearbox (tripod together with a ball joint).

Large working angles of deflection are the advantage of the ball CV joint. But this advantage is achieved at a high cost, in the direct sense of this expression. Ball joints are expensive to manufacture and have a relatively small life span.

Tripod CV joints, on the other hand, are inexpensive to manufacture, but they can also withstand small working angles, of course, compared to ball joints. Thus manufacturers use this pair in the drive so that a tripod CV joint connects the drive shaft to the gearbox, and the ball one - to the wheel hub.

Good to know
Lubrication is very important for normal operation of any constant-velocity joint. For CV joints, a special lubricant is used, which is put into the housing. The grease contains molybdenum disulfide - a substance, which turns into molybdenum dioxide on contact with air and water - very hard particles, due to which the hinged joint starts crackling and quite quickly simply breaks down. That is why it is extremely important to monitor the condition of dust caps. In case if they start cracking, this is a direct road to the service station or to your garage, if you know what to do. But if, nevertheless, the moment was missed or the condition of dust caps was not monitored, the CV joints will remind of themselves with a characteristic crunch when the car is turning. From this moment, the countdown until the visit to the master begins.