Number of axles on a car

Cars have two axles: a front axle and a rear axle. The front axle is also known as the steering axle, which is responsible for turning the front wheels. The rear axle is sometimes called the drive axle, which powers the vehicle's wheels.

Índice Show

The number of axles a vehicle requires depends on its load's size and weight. Heavier loads need additional axles to support the weight and distribute it evenly. Some vehicles, such as buses and semi-trucks, have as many as four axles.

The number of axles also affects a vehicle's turning radius. The more axles a vehicle has, its turning radius will be larger. This is why buses and semi-trucks have such large turning radii - they need the extra space to accommodate their additional axles.

Cars have two axles, a front and a rear.

What Is An Axle On A Car?

An axle is a shaft that runs across the width of a vehicle to which the wheels and sometimes drive train of a vehicle are attached.

The axle allows the wheels to rotate freely and supports the vehicle's weight.

Axles circled in red

What Are The Different Types Of Axles?

Axles Types are generally subdivided into rear axles and front axles.

Rear Axles

A rear axle is an assembly that spans the width of your car and is located at the back.

Rear-wheel drive cars have a live rear axle, which is always connected to the drivetrain and propels the vehicle.

Example of a rear live car axle

Front-wheel drive cars have a dead rear axle that is not connected to the drivetrain and only exists to support the car's weight.

In some rear-wheel drive vehicles like the Porsche 911, the rear axle is a transaxle that combines a transmission and a rear axle.

Types of rear axles include:

A semi-floating axle contains a bearing on each end that the axle shaft sits in. The bearings support the car's weight and allow the axle shaft to rotate. A semi-floating axle is the most common and simple type of rear axle.

Cross section af a semi floating axle

A fully-floating axle has two bearings that sit between the wheel hub and the axle casing. The bearings support the car's weight and allow the axle shaft to rotate. The axle shaft is not connected to the drivetrain, so it only needs to support the car's weight, not the engine's torque. A fully floating axle is typically found on heavy-duty trucks.

Cross section af a full floating axle

A three-quarter floating axle has a single bearing that sits between the wheel hub and the axle casing. The bearings support the car's weight on the axle casing and allow the axle shaft to rotate. The axle shaft is connected to the drivetrain and transfers torque from the engine to the wheels.

Cross section af a three quarter floating axle

Front Axles

Front axles on front-wheel drive cars are somewhat similar to the rear axles on rear-wheel drive cars in that they are live axles connected to the drivetrain. However, front-wheel drive cars have a transaxle that combines the transmission and axle into one unit.

The front axle on rear-wheel-drive cars is a dead axle that is not connected to the drivetrain and exists to support the car's weight.

The front axle must also facilitate steering in all cases.

Example of a front axle

The front axle needs to steer the vehicle, so it has stub axles that do not run the width of the vehicle. Instead, stub axles attach to each side of the front axle assembly.

Stub Axle Types

The four types of stub axles are:

Elliot
Reverse Elliot
Lamoine
Reversed Lamoine

Most cars have two axles: a front and rear. The steerable, or steering, axle is what turns the wheels on your vehicle's hubs while the non-steerables are powered the engine from where power goes through the transmission and differential to each wheel in turn to propel you along!

How Many Axles Does A Truck Have?

A truck can have anywhere from two to as many as eight or more axles. The number of axles a truck has depends on the type and size of the truck, as well as what it is being used for.

Side view of trucks with 8 or 9 axle

What Is a Single Axle Truck?

A single axle truck is a truck that has one rear axle. Single axle trucks are typically used for light duty tasks such as hauling small loads or personal use. Examples of single axle trucks include:

Dump trucks
Pickup trucks
Utility trucks

Example of dump truck with a single rear axle

How Many Axles On A SUV?

SUVs, like cars and pickup trucks, typically have two axles: a front axle and a rear axle. SUVs are designed for light hauling and off-road use, so they usually have a live rear axle. This means that the rear axle is always connected to the drivetrain and propels the vehicle.

How Many Axles Do Vans Have?

Passenger and light-duty cargo vans typically have two axles, a front axle and a rear axle.

How Many Axles Does A Four-Wheel Drive Have?

A four-wheel drive typically has two axles: a front axle and a rear axle. Both the front axle and rear axle are connected to the drivetrain. This allows the vehicle to distribute power to all four wheels, giving it better traction and stability.

How Many Cv Axles Does A Car Have?

CV stands for "constant velocity." A CV axle is a type of drive shaft used on front-wheel drive, all-wheel drive vehicles, and some rear-wheel drive vehicles. The CV axle is responsible for transferring power from the engine to the wheels.

A front-wheel-drive car typically has two CV axles for each front wheel. An all-wheel-drive car typically has four CV axles, one for each wheel.

How To Find My Vehicles Axle Ratio?

To find your vehicle's axle ratio, you will need to consult your owner's manual or look for a sticker on the door that lists the information.

You can also look under the hood for a decal that has the information or look online for your vehicle's specifications.

How Do You Know How Many Axles Your Car Has?

The number of axles a car has can be determined by looking at your vehice and counting the wheels.

Axles On Different Vehicle Types

What Is A 2-Axle Vehicle?

A 2 axle vehicle means a vehicle with two axles, one front, and one rear.

What Is Considered A 3 Axle Vehicle?

A 3 axle vehicle is a vehicle that has three axles, one front and two rear.

Example of 3 axle dump truck

What Is A 4-Axle Vehicle?

A 4-axle vehicle is a vehicle that has four axles, two front, two rear, or one front and three rear.

What Is A 5-Axle Vehicle?

A 5-axle vehicle is a vehicle that has five axles. They are also known as 18-wheelers.

How Many Axles Are On An 18 Wheeler?

An 18-wheeler is a truck and trailer combination that has 18 wheels. They have five axles. All the axles apart from the front have duallies; meaning they have two wheels on each side.

Example of an eighteen wheeler

How Many Axles Does A 12 Wheeler Truck Have?

A 12-wheeler truck has four axles. The front axle is the steering axle, and the two rear axles are the drive axles.

Conclusion

Cars have two axles, one axle in the front of the vehicle, which also steers the vehicle, and the rear axle in the rear of the vehicle.

The drive axle is referred to as a live axle, while an axle that is not connected to the drive train is referred to as a dead axle.

FAQ

How Many Axles Does A Jeep Have?

A Jeep typically has two axles, a front, and a rear axle. Jeeps are usually four-wheel drive, so they have a live rear and front axle.

How Many Axles Does Toyota Rav4 Have?

The Toyota Rav4 typically has two axles, a front axle, and a rear axle. The Rav4 is available in both front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive so that it can have two or four CV axles.

How Many Axles Does A Mustang Have?

A Mustang has two axles, a front axle, and a rear axle. Mustang's come in the rear-wheel drive, so they have a live rear axle.

What Is Tandem Axle?

A tandem axle is an arrangement where two rear axles are placed close together. This is typically used on large vehicles such as buses and trucks.

How many axles does your car have?

Cars only have two axles, and a personal vehicle with more than two axles is a rarity. To find out how many axles you have, just *count the pairs of wheels on your car. The axle is a rod connecting wheels on either side of your car, so you should have one axle for every two wheels.

Do cars have 1 or 2 axles?

Most cars have four tires in total and that is two sets of tires. From the definition of an axle above, an axle connects two opposite wheels and propels engine power to move the wheels. Two sets of tires with one in the rear end and one in the front wheels equal two axles.

What is considered a 2 axle vehicle?

Two-Axle, Six-Tire, Single-Unit Trucks—All vehicles on a single frame including trucks, camping and recreational vehicles, motor homes, etc., with two axles and dual rear wheels.

What is a three axle car?

A tri-axle vehicle is a truck, tractor, or trailer with three axles grouped together at the rear. Tri-axle vehicles are primarily used to haul heavy loads. The multiple axles and wheels allow for better weight displacement and stability. Dump trucks, tow trucks, and cement mixers usually have a tri-axle design.