Description & Operation: General Description

WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2003 Pontiac Aztek, 2003 Buick Rendezvous, 2002 Pontiac Aztek, 2002 Buick Rendezvous, and 2001 Pontiac Aztek. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.

Front wheel drive axles are flexible assemblies. Front wheel drive axles consist of the following components:

A front axle shaft inner tripot joint.
A front axle shaft outer constant velocity joint.
A front axle shaft bar. The front axle shaft bar connects the front axle shaft tripot joint and the front axle shaft constant velocity joint.

See Fig 1 . The front axle shaft tripot joint is completely flexible axially and laterally. The front axle shaft constant velocity joint is flexible axially.

Fig 1: Exploded View Of Inner & Outer CV Joints

Courtesy of GENERAL MOTORS CORP.