Typically, a car has two basic types of axles. One is called the Dead Axle that is present in a car to put up with the weight and does not rotate with the wheels. The other one is the Live Axle that is connected to the wheels and propels them. A constant velocity (CV) joint connects the wheel and a live axle, allowing the axle to transfer power to the wheels smoothly.
In addition to dividing car axles into a live or dead, they can also fall into other categories such as a front axle, rear axle, or stub axle.
Front axle
As its name implies, front axles are located at the front of your car. The front axle’s purpose is to support the steering and process the shock generated by the bumpy surface of the road. Front axles may either be live or dead. Live front axles can perform the job of rotating the wheels as explained above.
Rear axle
Rear axles, as you may have guessed, are located at the back of your vehicle. Most rear axles are live, meaning that they are responsible for transmitting power to the driving wheels. A driveshaft is connected to your engine and turns the rear axle, thus rotating the car's wheels.
Stub axle
A stub axle found in cars with rear-wheel-drive is attached to either end of the front axle with kingpins. Stub axle can be split into four types depending on the stub axle's arrangement and its subcomponents:
· Elliot: This type is attached to the front axle by using a yoke, kingpin, and cotter.
· Reverse Elliot: This stub axle has the reversed arrangement of an Elliot stub axle.
· Lamoine: In a Lamoine stub axle, an L-shaped spindle and kingpin are used instead of a yoke.
· Lamoine Reverse: It has the reversed arrangement of a Lamoine stub axle.