Four-Wheel Drive Systems - Component Location
NOTE: Automatic transmission shown, manual transmission similar
Four-Wheel Drive Systems - Overview
OVERVIEW
The power transfer unit is located at the rear of the engine and is attached directly to the transmission casing. A bracket on the power transfer unit attaches the unit to the engine cylinder block.
Two unique power transfer units are used for the petrol and diesel engines and the units cannot be interchanged. The unit casings and the breather outlet location differ between the petrol and diesel derivatives due to engine block fitment requirements, however the internal components are the same in both units.
The unit transfers the output from the transmission and distributes it to the rear wheels via a drive shaft to the rear on-demand coupling and differential. The front half shafts are driven from the transmission differential, not the power transfer unit. The unit has an internal pre-load system. This allows the pinion output seal to be changed in-service without disturbing the bearing pre-load.
The power transfer unit has the following features:
Four-Wheel Drive Systems - System Operation and Component Description
System Operation
OPERATION
The power transfer unit is driven directly from the transmission differential via a hollow shaft, through which the RH (right-hand) half shaft passes. The LH (left-hand) half shaft is driven directly from the transmission differential. The unit transfers drive from transmission differential to the drive shaft and the rear differential. No drive from the power transfer unit is passed to the front half shafts.
Drive from the transmission differential drives the crown wheel drive gear, which in turn rotates the pinion gear. Drive is passed from the pinion gear to the drive shaft and to the rear differential via the drive flange attached to the pinion gear shaft.
Component Description
DESCRIPTION
Power Transfer Unit (Petrol version shown)
The crown wheel drive gear is mounted longitudinally across the unit. The gear is a low-offset hypoid bevel gear configured for minimal power loss across the speed range. The LH end of the gear has splines which mate with corresponding splines in the transmission differential output sleeve. The drive gear is hollow which allows for the fitment of the RH half shaft.
The half shaft is located through the hollow drive gear and mates with splines in the transmission differential. The half shaft is driven by the transmission differential and receives no drive from the power transfer unit.
The crown wheel is supported in the casing on opposing taper roller bearings which are pressed into the casing and sealed with an O ring seal. The housing is fitted with a triple edge oil seal on the outer end of the housing which directs dirt and moisture away from the area of the drive gear. Another seal is fitted which prevents the ingress of dirt and moisture between the drive gear and RH half shaft.
The pinion gear is locked in the housing at 90 degrees to the crown wheel drive gear. The pinion gear is supported in the casing on opposing taper roller bearings. The pinion gear is retained in the housing with a pre-load nut. The outer end of the pinion gear is splined and mates with the drive shaft output flange. The flange is secured with a flanged bolt which is screwed into the pinion gear.
A collapsible spacer is located between the outer taper roller bearing and a shoulder on the pinion gear. The collapsible spacer holds the bearing in alignment and also collapses under pressure applied the pre-load nut. This allows the pre-load nut to be tightened to a predetermined torque, which collapses the spacer, setting the correct bearing pre-load and therefore the correct meshing of the pinion gear and the crown wheel gear teeth.