A live axle is a type of beam axle suspension system that uses the driveshafts that transmit power to the wheels to connect the wheels laterally so that they move together as a unit. Solid axle and Panhard rod on a 2002 Mazda MPV A beam axle is a suspension system, also called a solid axle, in which one set of wheels is connected laterally by a single beam or shaft. ... The front suspension components of a Ford Model T. Suspension is the term given to the system of springs, shock absorbers and linkages that connects a vehicle to its wheels. ... Cardan driveshaft with universal joints A driveshaft or driving shaft or Cardan shaft is a mechanical device for transferring power from the engine or motor to the point where useful work is applied. ...

A live axle consists of a central differential mated to tubes containing the driveshafts that connect the differential to the driven wheels. The differential is connected to the engine via a swinging propellor shaft and a universal joint. The complete assembly is suspended on coil springs or leaf springs. Input torque is applied to the ring gear, which turns the entire carrier (all blue), providing torque to both side gears (red and yellow), which in turn may drive the left and right wheels. ... A propeller shaft connects a propeller to an engine. ... A universal joint A universal joint, U joint, Cardan joint or Hardy-Spicer joint is a joint in a rigid rod that allows the rod to bend in any direction. ... This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... A leaf spring is a simple form of spring, commonly used for the suspension in wheeled vehicles. ...

Some live axles use trailing arms, semi-trailing arms, Panhard rod, and/or Watts linkage to control the vertical and lateral movements of the axle. Others, particularly older vehicles, use Hotchkiss drive, in which the leaf springs provide axle location as well as suspension. A trailing-arm suspension is an automobile suspension design in which one or more arms (or links) are connected between (and perpendicular to) the axle and the chassis. ... A trailing-arm suspension is an automobile suspension design in which one or more arms (or links) are connected between (and perpendicular to) the axle and the chassis. ... A Panhard rod is a component of a car suspension system that provides lateral location of the axle. ... Watts Linkage The Watts linkage is an automotive rear suspension designed in the early twentieth century as an improvement over the Panhard rod as a means of locating the rear axle of an automobile relative to the body and preventing relative movement side to side. ... The dominant form of power transmission for front-engine, rear-drive cars in the twentieth century is called the Hotchkiss drive. ...

As with any beam axle, the advantages of the live axle are relative simplicity, lower manufacturing costs, and the fact that the axle and suspension systems take up little or no interior volume. Because the axle assembly is a fairly simple and rigid arrangement, it can easily be made stronger and more robust, which is an advantage for vehicles with substantial power or that are intended for rugged and/or off-road usage.

The principal disadvantage is the negative effect on ride quality and handling. The wheels cannot move independently in response to bumps. Also, the mass of the differential and driveshafts are part of the vehicle's unsprung weight, so the greater unsprung mass transmits larger forces to the body of the vehicle and its occupants. Unsprung weight is a term used to describe that part of a vehicles mass that is directly connected to the wheels, and not isolated through the suspension. ...

Until the 1980s the live axle was the most common rear suspension system on rear-wheel drive cars in the United States. It remains common on trucks and other heavy vehicles, owing to its greater potential robustness, but many passenger cars have now adopted independent rear suspension instead. The 1980s decade refers to the years from 1980 to 1989, inclusive, informally sometimes including the years 1979, 1990 and 1991. ... Rear-wheel drive (or RWD for short) was a common engine/transmission layout used in automobiles throughout the 20th century. ... The driver of this DAF tractor with an auto-transport semi-trailer prepares to offload Å koda Octavia cars in Cardiff, Wales For other meanings, see Truck (disambiguation). ... An Independent Suspension is an automobile suspension system that allows the wheels on an axle to move independent of each other. ...

Solid axle suspension characteristics: Camber change on bumps, none on rebound, large unsprung weight