Ever considered how a car becomes a powerful vehicle? Other than its engine power and capacity, the efficiency of the mechanical gears also come into play. For the German automaker, Mercedes Benz, their drive shaft has an important role to maintain their vehicles' quality performance.

The Mercedes Benz drive shaft is the device that transfers power from the car’s engine to the point where work is applied. It transfers engine torque to the drive axle, which attaches the two wheels together on their opposite sides. It is also sometimes called propeller shaft. Mercedes drive shafts are essentially the carrier of torque. Before they became a trend, older automobiles used chain drive and even generators to transmit power to the wheels. The drive shafts today have U-joints, which are the devices that help them to move up and down during suspension. Some drive shafts have another kind of joint called slip joints. These allow them to adjust their lengths to the movement of the suspension. Drive shafts are of different lengths depending on their use. The long ones are used in front-engine rear-drive vehicles, while shorter ones are used when power must be sent from a central differential, transmission or transaxle.

Mercedes Benz drive shaft is hollow in order to weigh less but has a large diameter. Drive shafts are made from high quality steel, sometimes from aluminum. The shaft must be quite straight and balanced to avoid vibrating. There are two types of drive shafts, the Hotchkiss drive and the Torque Tube Drive. The Hotchkiss drive is made up of a drive shaft connected to the transmission output shaft and the differential pinion gear shaft. U-joints are used in the front and rear. The Hotchkiss drive transfers the torque of the output shaft to the differential. There is no wheel drive thrust sent to the drive shaft. Sometimes this drive comes in two pieces to reduce vibration and make it easier to install.The two-piece types need ball bearings in a dustproof housing as center support for the shafts. Rubber is added into this arrangement for noise and vibration reduction. On the other hand, the torque tube drive shaft is used if the drive shaft has to carry the wheel drive thrust. It is a hollow steel tube that extends from the transmission to the rear axle housing. One end is fastened to the axle housing by bolts. The transmission end is fastened with a torque ball. The drive shaft fits into the torque tube. A U-joint is located in the torque ball and the axle housing end is splined to the pinion gear shaft. Drive thrust is sent through the torque tube to the torque ball, to transmission, to engine and finally, to the frame through the engine mounts. The car is then pushed forward by the torque tube pressing on the engine.

The Mercedes Benz drive shaft is very strong and durable. And it requires to be, because it needs to be strong enough to bear the pressure that is required in the transmission of power. Since it usually turns at engine speeds, a lot of damage can be caused if the shaft is unbalanced, or bent. Damage can also be caused if the U-joints are worn out. That is why a periodic check up is a must to monitor its efficiency. Some U-joints do not require periodic lubrication, but they must still be inspected at each oil check.

If there will be a time that the U-joints would need to replaced, make sure they’re lubricated at every oil change. Some signs of inefficient universal joint is having a repeating squeaking sound when accelerating from a stop, a heavy clunking noise when shifting from drive to reverse or a shuddering sensation when driving. When this happen, have a professional look into it immediately for a defective U-joints can cause the drive shaft to separate from the vehicle and lead to a more expensive damage.