10.1. General information
The KIA Sportage cars are the typical representative of SUVs of the class Part Time 4WD, i.e. with the connected four-wheel drive. As a rule on such cars there is no interaxal differential that limits use of the all-wheel drive mode only to traffic conditions on the cross-country terrain and roads with a slippery or friable covering. Attempts of activation of the mode 4WD on a dry asphalt covering are accompanied by risk of failure of the transfer case and inevitably reduce service life of tires.
The main leading bridge on KIA Sportage is back. At emergence of need there is an opportunity rigid (the interaxal differential is absent) connections of the forward bridge. In case of need the all-wheel drive mode can be added with inclusion of a reducer of the transfer case (mode 4L). Naves of free are equipped with automatic couplings of a free wheeling: mechanical or, - in the last modification, - vacuum. Couplings are connected automatically at inclusion of the all-wheel drive mode, and an indispensable condition of connection of mechanical couplings is the start of motion (provorachivany forward wheels), - considering this feature, on the cars equipped with mechanical (obgonny) couplings, need for transition to the all-wheel drive mode should be predicted in advance. Nevertheless, we will notice that in practice mechanical couplings prove to be as much more reliable (especially in the strengthened execution), than vacuum which in the Russian climatic and road conditions quickly enough become useless.
The present Chapter is devoted to the components of the transmission line located between a back part of the engine and driving wheels of the car (excepting RKPP/AT, - see Chapters the Five-step manual box of gear shifting and Automatic transmission respectively). According to the destination the considered components can be broken into four categories: coupling (models with RKPP), the transfer case, driveshafts and the assemblies of forward and back bridges equipped with differentials. Descriptions of a design and the principle of action of each of separate knots, and also procedures of check of a state, removal/installation and service of the components entering into all four groups are given below.