Solution and Answer Guide: Justin Blevins and Ken Pickerill, Today's Technician: Manual Transmissions and Transaxles
Classroom Manual, 8e, copyright 2026, 9780357935170; Chapter 1: Manual Drivetrains and Axles
Solution and Answer Guide
JUSTIN BLEVINS AND KEN PICKERILL , TODAY'S TECHNICIAN: MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS AND
TRANSAXLES CLASSROOM MANUAL, 8E, COPYRIGHT 2026, 9780357935170; C HAPTER 1:
MANUAL DRIVETRAINS AND AXLES
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Short-Answer Essays.............................................................................................................1
Fill in the Blanks.....................................................................................................................2
Multiple Choice.......................................................................................................................3
SHORT-ANSWER ESSAYS
1. What are the primary purposes of a vehicle’s drivetrain?
Refer to Introduction
2. What is the basic advantage of a limited-slip differential?
Refer to Differentials
3. What is the purpose of an idler gear?
Refer to Types of gears
4. Why are transmissions equipped with many different forward gear ratios?
Refer to Transmissions
5. What is the primary difference between a transaxle and a transmission?
Refer to Drive line
6. Why are U-joints and CV joints used in the driveline?
Refer to Driving axles
© 2026 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible
website, in whole or in part.
1
,Solution and Answer Guide: Justin Blevins and Ken Pickerill, Today's Technician: Manual Transmissions and Transaxles
Classroom Manual, 8e, copyright 2026, 9780357935170; Chapter 1: Manual Drivetrains and Axles
7. What does a differential (final drive) unit do to the torque it receives?
Refer to Differentials
8. What is the purpose of the clutch assembly? How does it work?
Refer to Clutch
9. What kind of gears are commonly used in today’s automotive drivetrains?
Refer to Types of gears
10. When are ball-type or roller-type bearings used?
Refer to Types of bearings
FILL IN THE BLANKS
1. The main components of the drivetrain are the transmission, clutch, _______________,
and _______________ _______________.
Answer: Differential, Drive axles
2. The type of transmission that does not have fixed forward speeds is called a
_______________.
Answer: CVT
3. Gears are used in transmissions, transfer cases, and differentials to transmit torque
from one shaft to another and to _______________ torque.
Answer: Multiply
4. Four-wheel-drive (4WD) vehicles designed for off-road use are generally RWD vehicles
equipped with a __________ __________, a front drive shaft, a front differential, and
drive axles.
Answer: Transfer case
5. The car’s drive shaft and its joints are often called the _______________
_______________.
© 2026 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible
website, in whole or in part.
2
,Solution and Answer Guide: Justin Blevins and Ken Pickerill, Today's Technician: Manual Transmissions and Transaxles
Classroom Manual, 8e, copyright 2026, 9780357935170; Chapter 1: Manual Drivetrains and Axles
Answer: Driveline
6. Ball-type or roller-type bearings are used wherever friction must be _______________.
Answer: Minimized
7. Gears that do not drive something, but are simply used to reverse the direction of
rotation, are called _____ _______.
Answer: Idler gears
8. Automotive clutches use a two-disc system. One of the discs is the __________. The
other is called the ________ ________.
Answer: Flywheel, pressure plate
9. A transaxle is typically used on ________ vehicles. It is made up of a ________ and a
________ housed in a single unit.
Answer: FWD, transmission, differential
10. RWD vehicles use a long drive shaft that connects the transmission to the ___________
____________.
Answer: Rear axle
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. While discussing the purposes of a drivetrain,
Technician A says that it connects the engine’s power to the drive wheels.
Technician B says that it controls the power to the drive wheels for safe turning of the
vehicle.
Who is right?
a. A only
b. B only
c. Both A and B
d. Neither A nor B
Answer: C
Rationale: Basically, the drivetrain has four primary purposes: (1) to connect and
disconnect the engine’s power to the wheels, (2) to select different speed ratios, (3) to
provide a way to move the vehicle in reverse, and (4) to control the power to the drive
wheels for safe turning of the vehicle.
© 2026 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible
website, in whole or in part.
3
, Solution and Answer Guide: Justin Blevins and Ken Pickerill, Today's Technician: Manual Transmissions and Transaxles
Classroom Manual, 8e, copyright 2026, 9780357935170; Chapter 1: Manual Drivetrains and Axles
2. While discussing gears,
Technician A says that gears are used in transmissions, transfer cases, and
differentials to transmit torque from one shaft to another and to multiply torque.
Technician B says that idler gears are gears that do not drive something. They simply
are used to reverse the direction of rotation.
Who is right?
a. A only
b. B only
c. Both A and B
d. Neither A nor B
Answer: C
Rationale: Gears are used in transmissions, transfer cases, and differentials to
transmit torque from one shaft to another and to multiply torque. These shafts may
operate in line, parallel to each other, or at an angle to each other. These different
applications require a variety of gear designs, which vary primarily in the size and
shape of the teeth. Idler gears are gears that do not drive something. They simply are
used to reverse the direction of rotation. If three gears were connected, the center
gear would be considered an idler gear.
3. The type of bearing that can only control loads perpendicular to the shaft is a
a. roller bearing.
b. tapered roller bearing.
c. thrust bearing.
d. radial bearing.
Answer: D
Rationale: Most bearings are capable of withstanding only those loads that are
perpendicular to the axis of the shaft. Such loads are called radial loads and bearings
that carry them are called radial or journal bearings.
4. While discussing differentials,
Technician A says on FWD vehicles, the differential is part of the transaxle.
Technician B says on RWD vehicles, the differential is part of the transmission.
Who is right?
a. A only
b. B only
c. Both A and B
d. Neither A nor B
Answer: A
© 2026 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible
website, in whole or in part.
4
Classroom Manual, 8e, copyright 2026, 9780357935170; Chapter 1: Manual Drivetrains and Axles
Solution and Answer Guide
JUSTIN BLEVINS AND KEN PICKERILL , TODAY'S TECHNICIAN: MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS AND
TRANSAXLES CLASSROOM MANUAL, 8E, COPYRIGHT 2026, 9780357935170; C HAPTER 1:
MANUAL DRIVETRAINS AND AXLES
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Short-Answer Essays.............................................................................................................1
Fill in the Blanks.....................................................................................................................2
Multiple Choice.......................................................................................................................3
SHORT-ANSWER ESSAYS
1. What are the primary purposes of a vehicle’s drivetrain?
Refer to Introduction
2. What is the basic advantage of a limited-slip differential?
Refer to Differentials
3. What is the purpose of an idler gear?
Refer to Types of gears
4. Why are transmissions equipped with many different forward gear ratios?
Refer to Transmissions
5. What is the primary difference between a transaxle and a transmission?
Refer to Drive line
6. Why are U-joints and CV joints used in the driveline?
Refer to Driving axles
© 2026 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible
website, in whole or in part.
1
,Solution and Answer Guide: Justin Blevins and Ken Pickerill, Today's Technician: Manual Transmissions and Transaxles
Classroom Manual, 8e, copyright 2026, 9780357935170; Chapter 1: Manual Drivetrains and Axles
7. What does a differential (final drive) unit do to the torque it receives?
Refer to Differentials
8. What is the purpose of the clutch assembly? How does it work?
Refer to Clutch
9. What kind of gears are commonly used in today’s automotive drivetrains?
Refer to Types of gears
10. When are ball-type or roller-type bearings used?
Refer to Types of bearings
FILL IN THE BLANKS
1. The main components of the drivetrain are the transmission, clutch, _______________,
and _______________ _______________.
Answer: Differential, Drive axles
2. The type of transmission that does not have fixed forward speeds is called a
_______________.
Answer: CVT
3. Gears are used in transmissions, transfer cases, and differentials to transmit torque
from one shaft to another and to _______________ torque.
Answer: Multiply
4. Four-wheel-drive (4WD) vehicles designed for off-road use are generally RWD vehicles
equipped with a __________ __________, a front drive shaft, a front differential, and
drive axles.
Answer: Transfer case
5. The car’s drive shaft and its joints are often called the _______________
_______________.
© 2026 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible
website, in whole or in part.
2
,Solution and Answer Guide: Justin Blevins and Ken Pickerill, Today's Technician: Manual Transmissions and Transaxles
Classroom Manual, 8e, copyright 2026, 9780357935170; Chapter 1: Manual Drivetrains and Axles
Answer: Driveline
6. Ball-type or roller-type bearings are used wherever friction must be _______________.
Answer: Minimized
7. Gears that do not drive something, but are simply used to reverse the direction of
rotation, are called _____ _______.
Answer: Idler gears
8. Automotive clutches use a two-disc system. One of the discs is the __________. The
other is called the ________ ________.
Answer: Flywheel, pressure plate
9. A transaxle is typically used on ________ vehicles. It is made up of a ________ and a
________ housed in a single unit.
Answer: FWD, transmission, differential
10. RWD vehicles use a long drive shaft that connects the transmission to the ___________
____________.
Answer: Rear axle
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. While discussing the purposes of a drivetrain,
Technician A says that it connects the engine’s power to the drive wheels.
Technician B says that it controls the power to the drive wheels for safe turning of the
vehicle.
Who is right?
a. A only
b. B only
c. Both A and B
d. Neither A nor B
Answer: C
Rationale: Basically, the drivetrain has four primary purposes: (1) to connect and
disconnect the engine’s power to the wheels, (2) to select different speed ratios, (3) to
provide a way to move the vehicle in reverse, and (4) to control the power to the drive
wheels for safe turning of the vehicle.
© 2026 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible
website, in whole or in part.
3
, Solution and Answer Guide: Justin Blevins and Ken Pickerill, Today's Technician: Manual Transmissions and Transaxles
Classroom Manual, 8e, copyright 2026, 9780357935170; Chapter 1: Manual Drivetrains and Axles
2. While discussing gears,
Technician A says that gears are used in transmissions, transfer cases, and
differentials to transmit torque from one shaft to another and to multiply torque.
Technician B says that idler gears are gears that do not drive something. They simply
are used to reverse the direction of rotation.
Who is right?
a. A only
b. B only
c. Both A and B
d. Neither A nor B
Answer: C
Rationale: Gears are used in transmissions, transfer cases, and differentials to
transmit torque from one shaft to another and to multiply torque. These shafts may
operate in line, parallel to each other, or at an angle to each other. These different
applications require a variety of gear designs, which vary primarily in the size and
shape of the teeth. Idler gears are gears that do not drive something. They simply are
used to reverse the direction of rotation. If three gears were connected, the center
gear would be considered an idler gear.
3. The type of bearing that can only control loads perpendicular to the shaft is a
a. roller bearing.
b. tapered roller bearing.
c. thrust bearing.
d. radial bearing.
Answer: D
Rationale: Most bearings are capable of withstanding only those loads that are
perpendicular to the axis of the shaft. Such loads are called radial loads and bearings
that carry them are called radial or journal bearings.
4. While discussing differentials,
Technician A says on FWD vehicles, the differential is part of the transaxle.
Technician B says on RWD vehicles, the differential is part of the transmission.
Who is right?
a. A only
b. B only
c. Both A and B
d. Neither A nor B
Answer: A
© 2026 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible
website, in whole or in part.
4
