Drivability
This refers to a vehicle’s ability to drive under certain conditions, such as highway, off-road, gravel, dirt, etc. The main issues that are pertinent to drivability are: handling, steering, and ride quality. Depending on the modification, some aspects of drivability will be altered.
Driveshaft
The driveshaft transfers power from the transfer case to the axles.
Driveshaft Angle
The driveshaft angle is the angle that a driveshaft must be at to connect the transfer case to the axle. On lifted, short wheel base vehicles (SWB) the driveshaft angle can often be quite severe.
Full Float
An axle design where the vehicle weight is supported by a spindle and wheel bearing assembly. The axle shaft is used only to transmit power to the wheel through a drive flange or lockout hub assembly.
GVWR
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating is the maximum amount that the vehicle can weigh with full fuel, passengers and gear. This number is provided by the vehicle manufacturer and must not be exceeded.
High Center
High centering happens when all four wheels are off the ground and the vehicle is resting on its center skid plate. A high clearance skid plate like the TeraFlex BellyUP can help to reduce this problem.
High Pinion Axle
A high pinion axle housing design has the pinion shaft entering the housing above the axle tube centerline. The ring and pinion gear teeth are cut in the opposite direction to allow this relocation of the pinion shaft entry point. Sometimes this axle is mistakenly called a “reverse rotation” axle but this is not correct. The ring and pinion still rotate in the same direction but the tooth pattern is reverse cut allowing the driving force to be carried on the stronger side of the ring gear teeth when a high pinion axle is used in the front of a 4 wheel drive vehicle. When used in the rear of a 4 wheel drive vehicle some strength is lost since the driving force is applied to the weaker side of the ring gear teeth. For this reason many people choose to install a Heavy Duty 60 series axle such as the Tera CRD 60 in the rear of a light weight vehicle.
IFS
Independent Front Suspension refers to a vehicle suspension design where the front knuckles mount to the frame through ball joints and some type of upper and lower A-arms. This design allows either side to travel up and down independent of the opposite side. IFS has been used for many years in cars, and is now common in 4 wheel drive vehicles.
