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Two-wheel drive

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Two-wheel-drive (2WD) denotes vehicles with a drivetrain that allows two wheels to be driven, and receive power and torque from the engine, simultaneously.[1]

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Motor vehicle

Motor vehicle

A motor vehicle, also known as motorized vehicle or automotive vehicle, is a self-propelled land vehicle, commonly wheeled, that does not operate on rails and is used for the transportation of people or cargo.

Wheel

Wheel

A wheel is a circular component that is intended to rotate on an axle bearing. The wheel is one of the key components of the wheel and axle which is one of the six simple machines. Wheels, in conjunction with axles, allow heavy objects to be moved easily facilitating movement or transportation while supporting a load, or performing labor in machines. Wheels are also used for other purposes, such as a ship's wheel, steering wheel, potter's wheel, and flywheel.

Engine power

Engine power

Engine power is the power that an engine can put out. It can be expressed in power units, most commonly kilowatt, pferdestärke, or horsepower. In terms of internal combustion engines, the engine power usually describes the rated power, which is a power output that the engine can maintain over a long period of time according to a certain testing method, for example ISO 1585. In general though, an internal combustion engine has a power take-off shaft, therefore, the rule for shaft power applies to internal combustion engines: Engine power is the product of the engine torque and the crankshaft's angular velocity.

Torque

Torque

In physics and mechanics, torque is the rotational equivalent of linear force. It is also referred to as the moment of force. It represents the capability of a force to produce change in the rotational motion of the body. The concept originated with the studies by Archimedes of the usage of levers, which is reflected in his famous quote: "Give me a lever and a place to stand and I will move the Earth". Just as a linear force is a push or a pull, a torque can be thought of as a twist to an object around a specific axis. Torque is defined as the product of the magnitude of the perpendicular component of the force and the distance of the line of action of a force from the point around which it is being determined. The law of conservation of energy can also be used to understand torque. The symbol for torque is typically , the lowercase Greek letter tau. When being referred to as moment of force, it is commonly denoted by M.

Engine

Engine

An engine or motor is a machine designed to convert one or more forms of energy into mechanical energy.

Four-wheeled vehicles

For four-wheeled vehicles (and by extension, vehicles with six, eight, or more wheels), this term is used to describe vehicles that are able to power at most two wheels, referred to as either front, or rear-wheel-drive. The term 4x2 is also used, to denote four total wheels with two being driven. Most road vehicles use a 2WD layout due to its lightweight and simplicity. Traction on the road is usually sufficient that the driving force can be reliably transmitted through only two wheels.

For vehicles that have part-time four-wheel drive, the term refers to the mode when 4WD is deactivated and power is applied to only two wheels.

Two-wheeled vehicles

For two-wheeled vehicles such as motorcycles and bicycles, the term is used to describe vehicles that can power the front as well as the back wheel. The term 2x2 is also used to denote two total wheels with both being driven. 2x2 vehicles are typically either mechanically driven, via a chain, belt, or shaft, or are hydraulic-driven. This scheme greatly improves offroad performance, but is quite complicated and requires more power to operate, thus most 2WD machines are either "exotic" bikes for enthusiasts or created with special uses in mind.

Manufacturers who have one in production include Rokon, Jeep, Tarus and Christini. Manufacturers who are working or have worked on a prototype include ZID, Suzuki, Yamaha, KTM, Honda, and Nissan.

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Chain drive

Chain drive

Chain drive is a way of transmitting mechanical power from one place to another. It is often used to convey power to the wheels of a vehicle, particularly bicycles and motorcycles. It is also used in a wide variety of machines besides vehicles.

Belt (mechanical)

Belt (mechanical)

A belt is a loop of flexible material used to link two or more rotating shafts mechanically, most often parallel. Belts may be used as a source of motion, to transmit power efficiently or to track relative movement. Belts are looped over pulleys and may have a twist between the pulleys, and the shafts need not be parallel.

Drive shaft

Drive shaft

A drive shaft, driveshaft, driving shaft, tailshaft, propeller shaft, or Cardan shaft is a component for transmitting mechanical power and torque and rotation, usually used to connect other components of a drivetrain that cannot be connected directly because of distance or the need to allow for relative movement between them.

Hydraulic machinery

Hydraulic machinery

Hydraulic machines use liquid fluid power to perform work. Heavy construction vehicles are a common example. In this type of machine, hydraulic fluid is pumped to various hydraulic motors and hydraulic cylinders throughout the machine and becomes pressurized according to the resistance present. The fluid is controlled directly or automatically by control valves and distributed through hoses, tubes, or pipes.

Jeep

Jeep

Jeep is an American automobile marque, now owned by multi-national corporation Stellantis. Jeep has been part of Chrysler since 1987, when Chrysler acquired the Jeep brand, along with remaining assets, from its previous owner American Motors Corporation (AMC).

Suzuki

Suzuki

Suzuki Motor Corporation is a Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in Minami-ku, Hamamatsu, Japan. Suzuki manufactures automobiles, motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), outboard marine engines, wheelchairs and a variety of other small internal combustion engines. In 2016, Suzuki was the eleventh biggest automaker by production worldwide. Suzuki has over 45,000 employees and has 35 production facilities in 23 countries, and 133 distributors in 192 countries. The worldwide sales volume of automobiles is the world's tenth largest, while domestic sales volume is the third largest in the country.

Yamaha Motor Company

Yamaha Motor Company

Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. is a Japanese multinational manufacturer of motorcycles, marine products such as boats and outboard motors, and other motorized products. The company was established in 1955 upon separation from Yamaha Corporation, and is headquartered in Iwata, Shizuoka, Japan. The company conducts development, production and marketing operations through 109 consolidated subsidiaries as of 2012.

KTM

KTM

KTM AG formerly KTM Sportmotorcycle AG) is an Austrian motorcycle, bicycle and sports car manufacturer owned by Pierer Mobility AG and the Indian manufacturer Bajaj Auto. It was formed in 1992 but traces its foundation to as early as 1934. Today, KTM AG is the parent company of the KTM Group, consisting of a number of motorcycle brands.

Honda

Honda

Honda Motor Co., Ltd. is a Japanese public multinational conglomerate manufacturer of automobiles, motorcycles, and power equipment, headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan.

Nissan

Nissan

Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. , trading as Nissan Motor Corporation and often shortened to Nissan, is a Japanese multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Nishi-ku, Yokohama, Japan. The company sells its vehicles under the Nissan and Infiniti brands, and formerly the Datsun brand, with in-house performance tuning products labelled Nismo. The company traces back to the beginnings of the 20th century, with the Nissan zaibatsu, now called Nissan Group.

Two-wheel-drive with sidecars

For three-wheeled vehicles such as motorcycles with sidecars, the term is used to describe vehicles that can power the sidecar as well as the back wheel. Sidecar-drive vehicles are typically mechanically driven via a shaft and may or may not have a differential. This scheme greatly improves offroad performance, but is more complicated and requires more power to operate, thus most 2WD machines are vehicles created with special uses in mind such as trials or military use. The first use of the sidecar drive appears in 1928 with the apparent independent invention of Baughan in the UK, and Mokharov in the USSR.

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Source: "Two-wheel drive", Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, (2022, November 22nd), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two-wheel_drive.

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References
  1. ^ "kbb.com".
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