GUEST – Understanding your car – Vol. 4

Transfer Case

Let’s start with a simple question for our All-Wheel Drive and 4×4 owners: What is a transfer case?

A transfer case is unique to 4 wheel drive vehicles and is what directs power to both ends of the vehicle through two separate driveshafts. The transfer case is attached to the rear of the transmission and gets its input directly from the transmission. Power is directed from the engine through the transmission and then through the transfer case to either the rear wheels or both the front and rear wheels. As the transfer case accepts input from the transmission, and the Hi-Lo range selector is in the “Hi” position, the transfer case uses the highest gear ratio. If the driver chooses the “2WD Mode” of the transfer case, power is transferred to only the rear wheels, leaving the front driveshaft without any driving duties. The transfer case is literally just a way to split the power coming from the transmissions one output shaft into two so it can drive two driveshafts instead of one.

Author: Tanvir Suri – Owner/Operator
T&K Transmission & Automotive Specialists
Addison | Irving | Arlington TX