A car is a technically complex device, consisting of a large number of parts, nodes and mechanisms. Every self-respecting car owner must understand them, not even for that, to be able to independently eliminate any malfunction, which may occur on the way, but simply to understand the principle of operation of your machine, and the ability to explain the essence of the problems in a language understandable to a specialist. For this, you need to know at least the basics, what are the main parts of a car?, and how each detail is correctly called.
car body
The basis of any car is its body, which is the body of the car, in which the driver is placed, passengers and cargo. It is in the body that all other elements of the car are located. One of its main purposes is to protect the people and goods in it from the influence of the external environment.
The supporting system of the car. It is the skeleton of the car, to which all the details are later attached
Usually the body is attached to the frame, but there are also cars with a frameless design, and then the body simultaneously performs the functions of the frame. The design of the car body happens:
- one-volume, when the motor is located in the same volume, passenger and cargo compartment (examples can be minivans or vans);
- two-volume, in which an engine compartment is provided, and places for passengers and cargo are combined in one volume (station wagons, hatchbacks, crossovers and SUVs);
- three-volume, where separate compartments are provided for each part of the car body - cargo, passenger and motor (pickup trucks, sedans and coupes).
Depending on the nature of the load, the body can have three types:
- bearing;
- semi-supporting;
- unloaded.
Most modern cars have a load-bearing structure, which perceives all loads acting on the machine. The general structure of the body of a passenger car assumes the presence of such basic elements:
- spars, which are load-bearing beams in the form of a profiled rectangular pipe, they are front, and rear roof rails;
Body supporting system. This system allows you to reduce the weight of the car, lower the center of gravity, so, increase stability when moving
- racks - structural elements, that support the roof (front, rear and middle);
- beam and crossbar, which are in the roof, spars, under the engine supports, and each row of seats, there is also a front cross member and a radiator cross member;
- thresholds and floors;
- wheel niches.
Car engine, its types
The heart of the car, its main unit is the engine. It is this part of the car that creates torque, which is transmitted to the wheels, causing the car to move in space. Today, there are the following main types of car engines:
- DVZ or internal combustion engine, which uses the energy of the fuel burned in its cylinders to obtain mechanical energy;
- electric motor, powered by electric energy from batteries or hydrogen cells (today, most leading car companies already have hydrogen-powered cars as prototypes and are even in small-scale production);
- hybrid engines, connecting the electric motor and the internal combustion engine in one unit, connecting link between which the generator acts.
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It is a complex of mechanisms, which convert the thermal energy burned in its fuel cylinders into mechanical energy
By type of fuel, that burns, all internal combustion engines are divided into the following types:
- petrol;
- diesel;
- gas;
- hydrogen, in which the fuel is liquid hydrogen (installed only on experimental models).
According to the design, there are diesel engines:
- piston;
- rotary-piston;
- gas turbines.
Transmission
The main purpose of the transmission is to transmit torque from the crankshaft of the engine to the wheels. Elements, of which it consists, have such names:
- Clutch, which is two friction disks, pressed to each other, which connect the engine crankshaft to the gearbox shaft. This connection of two mechanism shafts is made detachable, in order to, squeezing discs, it was possible to break the connection between the engine and the gearbox, for switching gears and changing the speed of rotation of the wheels.
This is a power transmission, connects the engine with the driving wheels of the car
- Transmission (or reducer). This node is used to change the speed and direction of the car.
- Do not transfer, which is a shaft with hinged joints at the ends, an employee for the transmission of torque to the rear drive wheels. It is used only in rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive cars.
- The main gear, located on the drive axle of the car. It transmits the torque from the half-axle cardan shaft, changing the direction of rotation to 90 degrees.
- The differential is a mechanism, employee to ensure different speeds of rotation of the right and left drive wheels when turning the car.
- Drive shafts or half-axles are elements, that transmit the rotation of the wheels.
All-wheel drive cars have a transfer case, distributes rotation to both axes.
Chassis
A complex of mechanisms and parts, that serve to move the car and pay off, resulting vibrations and oscillations, called the running gear. They belong to the undercarriage:
- frame, to which all other elements of the chassis are attached (frameless cars use car body elements for their fastening);
The chassis is a set of devices, the interaction of which moves the car along the road
- wheels, consisting of discs and tires;
- front and rear suspension, which serves to dampen oscillations, occurring during movement, and there is a spring, pneumatic, spring or torsion, depending on the protective elements used;
- bridge beams, employees to install half-axles and differentials, they are only in cars with independent suspension.
Most modern passenger cars have independent suspension, and they do not have bridge girders.
Steering
For normal movement in the car, the driver needs to make turns, U-turns or detours, that is, deviate from rectilinear motion, or just control your car, so that she is not led aside. For this purpose, steering control is provided in its design. This is one of the simplest mechanisms in a car. What is the name of part of the elements, which we will consider below. Steering consists of:
- steering wheel with steering column, this is called a common shaft, on which the steering wheel is firmly mounted;
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These devices consist of steering, which is connected to the front wheels by a steering drive and a brake
- steering mechanism, consisting of a rack and pinion, mounted on the steering column shaft, it converts the rotational movement of the steering wheel into translational movement of the rail in the horizontal plane;
- steering drive, transmission effect from the rack of the steering mechanism to the wheels, for their rotation, and includes side thrusts, rocker arm and wheel pivot arms.
Modern cars use an additional element - power steering, allows the driver to exert less effort to turn the steering wheel. It is of the following types:
- mechanical;
- air booster;
- hydraulic;
- electric;
- combined electrohydraulic amplifier.
Braking system
An important part of the car, which ensures the safety of management, there is a braking system. Its main purpose is to, to forcefully stop the vehicle, that moves. It is also used, when it is necessary to sharply reduce the speed of the car.
There are three variants of the braking system: working, stoyankova, spare
The brake system is of the following types according to the type of drive:
- mechanical;
- hydraulic;
- pneumatic;
- combined.
A brake system with a hydraulic drive is installed on modern passenger cars, which consists of the following elements:
- brake pedal;
- the main hydraulic cylinder of the brake system;
- main cylinder fuel tank, for refueling brake fluid;
- vacuum amplifier, which is not in all models;
- piping systems for the front and rear brakes;
- wheel brake cylinders;
- brake pads, is pressed by the wheel cylinders to the wheel rim when the vehicle brakes.
Brake pads are disc or drum and have a return spring, which squeezes them from the rim of the wheels at the end of the braking process.
Electrical equipment, which is a set of electrical devices and apparatus, which ensure normal operation of the engine
Electrical equipment
One of the most complex systems of passenger cars with many different elements and wires connecting them, entangle the entire body of the car, is electrical equipment, which serves to provide electricity to all electrical devices and electronic systems. Electrical equipment includes the following devices and systems:
- battery;
- generator;
- ignition system;
- light optics and interior lighting system;
- fan electric motor drives, windshield wipers, window lifts and other devices;
- heating of windows and interior;
- all automatic transmission electronics, on-board computer and security systems (ABS, SRS), engine control and others;
- power steering;
- anti-theft alarm system;
- sound signal.
Це неповний перелік пристроїв, що входять до електрообладнання авто і споживають електроенергію.
Пристрій кузова автомобіля і всіх його складових частин необхідно знати кожному водієві, щоб підтримувати машину завжди в справному стані.