The Vauxhall 4 Wheel 
Drive System

 

The 3 Part Driveshafts :

The driveshaft used to transmit the power from the Transfer Box to the Rear Differential and then onto the rear wheels is a 3 part design meaning that the shaft is not one complete unit but is, in fact, split into 3 main sections -

 

 

So why use a 3 part driveshaft for what is fundamentally a straight line transfer of power ??

The main reason is body flex - 

As the Cavalier and Calibra Turbo both have fully independent rear suspension, the differing movements of the rear wheels can cause problems with the smooth transfer of power along the driveshaft.

To overcome this problem, the rear driveshaft is split into 3 sections and each section is connected with the adjoining sections via universal joints (4.) and sliding gears (2.)

The entire length of the driveshaft is attached to the chassis of the car via bearings (3.) to keep it all moving smoothly.

From here the power is transferred to the Rear Differential where the process of diverting the drive to the individual rear wheels occurs.

 

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