Unit 5: Final Drives, Chain Drives and Tires

UNIT 5
Final Drives, Chain Drives and Tires

Introduction
This unit discusses final drives, the chain drive in Motor Graders and
tires. The unit begins with the theory and purpose of final drives.
The operation of final drives and chain drives and ends with a short
discussion on tires.

Objectives
At the completion of this unit, each student will be able to:
demonstrate an understanding of final drives, chain drives and tires.

Unit References
Student Work text
Tooling
None Required
 Lesson 1: Final Drives
Lesson 1: Final Drives

Fig. 5.1.1 Final Drive

Introduction
This lesson discusses final drives. Final drives are located in
wheeled machines and in tracked machines.

Objectives
1. Understand the purpose of final drives.
2. Understand the operation of final drives.
Unit 5 5-1-2 Power Train II
Lesson 1

Fig. 5.1.2 Flow

Final Drives
The final drive is the last gear reduction and helps the other power
train components convert the engine speed into torque capable of
pulling extremely heavy loads.
In (Figure 5.1.2), the blue gears are the final drive gears.

Fig. 5.1.3 Gear Reduction

Operation
The small yellow gear at the top represents the pinion from the
transmission. The larger, dark yellow gear rotates slower than the
small yellow pinion and the pink gear rotates even slower. The light
blue gear connected to the dark blue sprocket rotates slower than any
of the other gears in this group.
Speed reduction equals torque increase.
Unit 5 5-1-3 Power Train II
Lesson 1

Fig. 5.1.4 Power Flow

Power Flow
Power flows from the engine to the final drive through the torque
converter, transmission and drive shaft.

Fig. 5.1.5 Gear Reduction With Transmission

Gear Reduction
A transmission could be built large enough to accomplish the
necessary speed reduction, but the drive shaft would be enormous to
accommodate the tremendous twisting power of the torque from such
a transmission.
This would be impractical for many reasons, the main reason being
the overall size.
Unit 5 5-1-4 Power Train II
Lesson 1

Fig. 5.1.6 Final Drive

Final Drive
The final drives provide the torque increase in the power train. This
allows the other components in the power train to carry relatively
light torque loads. The result is extended service life of the power
train components.
The countershaft final drive (Figure 5.1.6) is sometimes called a bull-
type final drive.

Fig. 5.1.7 Single Reduction Final Drive

Single Reduction Final Drive

Small Track-type Tractors use a single reduction final drive. The
final drive pinion drives a single, large final drive gear (brown) that is
connected directly to the sprocket. There is one gear reduction, from
the gold final drive pinion to the brown final drive gear.
Unit 5 5-1-5 Power Train II
Lesson 1

Fig. 5.1.8 Double Reduction Final Drive

Double Reduction Final Drive

The pinion drives an idler gear (yellow) that is a cluster gear
(combination of two different sized gears). The pinion that is
attached to the idler gear meshes with the large (light blue) final drive
gear that is connected to the sprocket. Two gear reductions take place
between the input and the sprocket from the gold final drive pinion to
the large gear on the yellow gear and from the pinion of the yellow
gear to the light blue gear.

Fig. 5.1.9 Bull Type Final Drive

Bull Type Final Drive

Final drives are reduction gearing devices. Reduction in engine
speed is accomplished between each of the graduated gear sizes from
the final drive pinion to the sprocket which drives the track.
Unit 5 5-1-6 Power Train II
Lesson 1

Fig. 5.1.10 Planetary Final Drive

Planetary Final Drive

Planetary sets perform gear reduction and provide a maximum
amount of reduction in a minimum amount of space.
The sun gear is driven by the axle, the ring gear is held stationary and
the carrier transfers the power.

Fig. 5.1.11 Power Flow In A Tracked Machine

Power Flow In a Tracked Machine

The pinion drives the yellow gear. The sun gear drives the planet
gears. The white ring gear is splined to the final drive housing and
held stationary. The planet gears walk around the inside of the ring
gear and force the carrier to rotate at reduced speed. The red carrier
and red sprocket are splined together.
Unit 5 5-1-7 Power Train II
Lesson 1

Fig. 5.1.12 Stationary Ring Gear and Hub

Stationary Ring Gear and Hub

The ring gear is mounted to a stationary hub.

Fig. 5.1.13 Power Flow In A Wheeled Machine

Power Flow In A Wheeled Machine

The power comes from the axle. and drives the sun gear. The ring
gear is bolted to the stationary spindle. The sun gear causes the
planet gears to walk around the inside of the stationary ring gear. The
carrier (yellow) is bolted to the wheel. When the planet gears walk
around the inside of the ring gear and drive the carrier, the wheel
assembly turns.
Unit 5 5-1-8 Power Train II
Lesson 1

Fig. 5.1.14 Stationary Ring Gear and Spindle

Stationary Ring Gear and Spindle

The stationary ring gear and spindle are shown in red. A hub (red)
connects the ring gear to the spindle. The spindle is bolted to the
frame or axle housing. The axle and sun gear rotate within the hub
and spindle. The planet gears and carrier are bolted to the wheel
assembly. The wheel assembly is outlined in white.

Fig. 5.1.15 Hub and Spindle

Hub and Spindle

In this view the hub, and spindle assembly on the right and ring gear
on the left are splined in the center. The spindle bolts to the frame or
axle housing using the mounting holes near the outer circumference
and supports the wheel assembly.
The teeth on the hub mesh with the ring gear teeth.
All the components in (Figure 5.1.15) are stationary.
Unit 5 5-1-9 Power Train II
Lesson 1

FIRST REDUCTION SECOND REDUCTION SECOND REDUCTION

RING GEAR RING GEAR CARRIER

SECOND REDUCTION
PLANETARY GEAR

SECOND REDUCTION
FINAL DRIVE SUN GEAR

FIRST REDUCTION
SUN GEAR

FIRST REDUCTION
CARRIER

FIRST REDUCTION
PLANETARY GEAR

Fig. 5.1.16 Double Reduction Final Drive

Double Reduction Final Drive

The double reduction final drive has two planetary sets for two gear
reductions. The axle drives the inboard sun gear. The inboard carrier
walks around the ring gear. The inboard planetary carrier is splined
to the outboard sun gear. The outboard sun gear rotates at the same
speed as the inboard planetary carrier. The outboard planetary carrier
walks around the ring gear causing the second gear reduction. The
outboard planetary carrier is bolted to the wheel.
Unit 5 -1- Power Train II
Lab 5.1.1

Lab 5.1.1 Final Drive

SPROCKET

SUN GEAR

TRAVEL
MOTOR

PLANETARY
CARRIER

Fig. 5.1.1 Travel Motor and Final Drive

LAB 5.1.1: TRAVEL MOTOR AND FINAL DRIVE

This final drive is driven differently than the final drives we discussed. In this final drive, the ring gear
and housing drives the sprocket - not the carrier.
The output shaft of the travel motor is connected to the outboard sun gear in the final drive of this
machine. When the motor drives the outboard sun gear, the outboard planet gears cause the outboard
planetary carrier to walk around the slower ring gear. The outboard planetary carrier is splined to the
inboard sun gear. When the outboard planetary carrier drives the inboard sun gear, the inboard sun
gear causes the inboard planet gears to rotate on their axes. The inboard planetary carrier is connected
to the motor housing and does not move. When the inboard planet gears rotate on their own axes, they
drive the outer housing and ring gear at a slower speed than the inboard sun gear and in the opposite
direction. The sprocket turns with the outer housing and drives the tracks.
The disc for the parking brake has teeth that fit with teeth around the barrel. When oil pushes the
parking brake piston back, the parking brake will be released. The barrel will rotate freely. When oil
is not present, the springs will push the parking brake piston into the parking brake disc. The barrel
will be held by friction and will not rotate.