8. Automotive applications and limitations on use

8.1 Lateral transmissions

• In front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive with suspended front axle, the transmissions on either side of the front differential usually comprise a fixed homokinetic joint on the wheel side and a sliding homokinetic joint on the differential side, joined by a bar or even a tube, with maximum rotation speeds of the order of 2,000 rpm. In order to ensure that the two fixed joints work under identical angularity conditions, both in steering and in suspension, thus balancing the reaction moments acting on the two steering pivots, transmissions of similar lengths are produced, even if this means providing an intermediate bearing on one side, which is fixed to the engine crankcase (figure