planetary-gear-system
The planetary gear train or system is a complicated way of producing different gear ratios inside an automatic transmission. The one pictured is a simple planetary system, which we will try to make sense of:.. there is a wide variety of complicated systems in use today, but they all produce the same effect.
Essentially, each gear range in your automatic transmission has a planetary gear system. Some are called compound planetary systems. The more gears or speeds your trans. has:.. the more planetary gears are in the transmission, which are then termed compound planetary gear sets. Sounds like an astronomy term, you will be surprised at how closely related they are in theory.
The sun gear in an automatic transmission is the central drive gear, the planetary gears rotate around the sun gear inside of the ring gear, therefore producing a gear reduction or an overdrive range. In respect to the solar system, you have the sun in the middle with a number of planets surrounding the sun. The Earth could be one of the planets, for instance. The ring gear in a transmission is then the universe.
All automatic transmissions have planetary gears in them, with modern transmissions having up to four or five sets for each automatic shift that occurs during a normal acceleration cycle through the gears. The output or power is transferred to the driveshaft by the planet assembly. Gear ranges depend on the ratio of teeth on the sungear to the amount of teeth on the planetary (pinion) gears in the planetary housing and the tooth count inside the ring gear. Each speed or gear range has it’s own amount of teeth, therefore producing the gear you may be in at the moment. Such as 1st gear, second gear, third gear and 4th gear or overdrive (as it is commonly called), all have different tooth counts. Sometimes several planetary gears work together at one time to make a gear.
We simplify this complex description by calling them gear ratios. Each combination of planetary gears produce a different gear ratio.
Automatic transmissions and some standard transmissions use these highly precise components, including four (4) wheel drive transfer cases. The usage of planetary gears is not limited to car of truck transmissions. Many types of equipment in different industries use these complicated devises.
Don’t forget that your automatic transmission is loaded with the same precision made parts as airplanes and space shuttles:..and maintenance is your best friend.
GotTransmissions.com Blog contains more answers to questions no one else cares to answer and provides tips and suggestions to make your experience with buying a transmission for sale a good one..
