What Automotive Part Will Always Be Around?

"That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms" (thatbastardkurtis5) 09/20/2016 at 16:17 • Filed to: None

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Times change, vehicles change, technologies change. 8-track players, carburetors, steam engines...there are plenty of parts and technologies that have come and gone. But what about ones that are forever?

My vote is this guy, a solid rear axle. In truck applications, I don’t think IRS is ever going to get to a point where it’s capabilities and benefits surpass the strength and affordability of a solid rear axle.

What other things that we currently see on cars and trucks are here to stay?

MonkeePuzzle > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 09/20/2016 at 16:18

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wheels

sorry hover cars

LongbowMkII > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 09/20/2016 at 16:19

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The small block Chevy. Maybe not by GM itself but as long as there is Dino juice in the crust there will be a SBC to run on it.

Roadster Man > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 09/20/2016 at 16:19

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Using your picture as inspiration, I don’t think we will ever see the demise of the limited slip differential, even if it becomes a clutch pack and some electronics or some crap like that.

If it works, why change? I was gonna say “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” but this is a picture of someone fixing a differential, so they obviously break.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > MonkeePuzzle 09/20/2016 at 16:21

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This was my first thought. And even if we did come up with hover vehicles, it really isnt a car anymore if it flies.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > LongbowMkII 09/20/2016 at 16:21

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My first thought. There will always be a sball block chevy.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > LongbowMkII 09/20/2016 at 16:21

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SBC; all variants and derivatives.

Wacko > Roadster Man 09/20/2016 at 16:21

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no need for a differential when you have electric motors at each wheel. so yeah diffs are gonna go the way of the Dodo bird

That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms > Roadster Man 09/20/2016 at 16:22

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I would have appreciated the irony.

LSD is a good choice. It works great, why make it fancier just for the sake of it?

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 09/20/2016 at 16:23

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But, electric trucks. Will they retain a solid rear axle? I mean, I can’t think of a more durable option even with electricity in the mix, but it’s a thought.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > Roadster Man 09/20/2016 at 16:23

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Electric motor at each end. Boom.

KatzManDu > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 09/20/2016 at 16:24

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Wheel bearings, oil/lubrication pumps/systems. Even with electric cars that stuff will be needed to some extent.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 09/20/2016 at 16:24

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One thing that most would probably ignore is the windshield wiper. Sure, there have been some wild vacuum designs and hydrophobic fluid films out there but the same basic design of the windshield wiper hasnt changed much since its inception. I would believe that the windshield wiper is something that will continue to remain as long as we have windshields. The only way I could imagine it going away would be the removal of any sort of window (for safety) and putting a camera out there for you to see. Or even like cruise ships with the fake view.

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 09/20/2016 at 16:24

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As long as they’re traveling on the surface of the planet: Wheels

As long as we don’t have force fields to keep us dry/clean/bugs out of our teeth: Bodies

miadaman? yes please > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 09/20/2016 at 16:24

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Bumper stickers, because - wait does that count?

bobbe17 > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 09/20/2016 at 16:26

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Heat exchangers. They'll change a bit concerning which fluids are involved, but everything in a car will keep getting hot and will continue needing to be cooler.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 09/20/2016 at 16:27

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Counterpoint: Individual electric engines on the hub's.

Urambo Tauro > MonkeePuzzle 09/20/2016 at 16:28

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Yeah, we’re not going to see hovercars replace what we’re driving now. It takes too much energy to overcome gravity, and once you leave the ground you’ve lost all grip and have to find other ways of acceleration, deceleration, and turning.

Wheels, however, will always be a more practical method for ground transportation.

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 09/20/2016 at 16:28

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Obvious answer is obvious

Although they may change from how they look now, you’ll always need a door to get in and out of a car.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies 09/20/2016 at 16:31

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This was my first thought. But:

Even still, some kind of suspension will be required. IRS is still going to be more fragile than a solid axle. And it would be pretty easy to stick a motor at each end of a solid axle.

LongbowMkII > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 09/20/2016 at 16:33

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It’s cheaper to write software for the brakes.... Mechanical LSD’s seem to be rare.

RallyWrench > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 09/20/2016 at 16:34

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Morons behind the wheel.

LongbowMkII > Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow 09/20/2016 at 16:36

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Nah. That's what windows are for.

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > LongbowMkII 09/20/2016 at 16:40

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Door: a hinged, sliding, or revolving barrier at the entrance to a building, room, or vehicle, or in the framework of a cupboard

If you’re entering through it, it’s a door now. ;)

HammerheadFistpunch > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 09/20/2016 at 16:40

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Rubber isolation bushings.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 09/20/2016 at 16:43

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Wheel bearings.

unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) > LongbowMkII 09/20/2016 at 16:47

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I’ll pour one out if GM ends the pushrod v8. Which makes for a good documentary “Pushrod’s Last Ballad”.

Azrek > Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow 09/20/2016 at 16:48

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You are doing this all wrong! Obvious answer is obvious!!!

SEATS!

LongbowMkII > unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) 09/20/2016 at 16:50

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I can see the pushrods V8 being gone from new cars in a few decades. But someone will buy the rights to it and keep building them.

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > Azrek 09/20/2016 at 16:51

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No way, my autonomous car will totally have a hammock

66671 - 200 [METRIC] my dash > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 09/20/2016 at 16:53

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Probably wheels.

EDIT: Darn, someone beet me to it.

kanadanmajava1 > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 09/20/2016 at 17:03

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There is one thing that is shared by 99.9999% of world’s motor vehicles. This thing. A Schrader valve.

It was patented in 1893. Nearly every car/truck/bus/motorcycle that has had air in the tires has got several of these. The bicycle world has 2 other alternatives for it but it is pretty common in bicycle tires too. I have seen couple +100 year old cars that were using different kind of tire valves but the rest had these.

It is highly unlikely that any other standardized part will surpass the Schrader valve while vehicle are moving on gas filled tires.

Berang > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 09/20/2016 at 17:05

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Diamonds.

TFSIVTEC drivesavolvo > HammerheadFistpunch 09/20/2016 at 17:32

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Untill some blight wipes out the rubber trees and we’ll all reminisce about natural rubber

HammerheadFistpunch > TFSIVTEC drivesavolvo 09/20/2016 at 17:35

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We got seeds for those mofo’s backed up!

Milky > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 09/20/2016 at 17:39

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Dood forever is forever . We wont need cars when we’re amorphous blobs floating around.

xyzabc > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 09/20/2016 at 17:40

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The Tire’s Schrader Valve plastic “Cap”.

It’s one of the few universally exchangeable parts on almost every car and truck ever produced with pneumatic tires.

facw > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 09/20/2016 at 17:47

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Stick on chrome fender vents. Even if Buick and Infinity go away, there will always be people with no taste...

TheHondaBro > Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow 09/20/2016 at 18:01

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Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > TheHondaBro 09/20/2016 at 18:02

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I thought of this too. lol

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > kanadanmajava1 09/20/2016 at 18:22

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I don’t think you have enough 9s.

AfromanGTO > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 09/20/2016 at 18:26

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Turn signals. Although BMW may not include them in their autonomous cars.

That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms > AfromanGTO 09/20/2016 at 18:33

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I don’t think BMW includes them now. That or they amputate the owner’s left hand in an elaborate ceremony when you buy one.

OPPOsaurus WRX > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 09/20/2016 at 18:47

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The wheel.

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > Roadster Man 09/20/2016 at 19:42

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you could put electric motors in each corner

AfromanGTO > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 09/20/2016 at 19:42

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Probably don’t include them. The left hand is too important for snapchat to have BMW remove it. lol

You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much > Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow 09/20/2016 at 19:58

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Dukes of Hazzard.gif

True, they've got doors, but they are welded shut.

spanfucker retire bitch > Roadster Man 09/20/2016 at 20:31

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McLaren in their million dollar hybrid hypercar doesn’t use one. They seem content on using brake based torque vectoring.

gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 09/20/2016 at 20:54

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I disagree with the idea that solid axles will stick around. As electric vehicles slowly become more commonplace, the differential as we know it will become irrelevant. It’s more electrically efficient to have a separate motor for each driven wheel. Some features will likely stick around vestigially, for example large hoods/engine (battery?) bays instead of more space-efficient cab over designs, but I can't really see any of the mechanical bits sticking around when they aren't entirely needed.

That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms > gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee 09/20/2016 at 21:02

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I wouldn’t be shocked to see electric motors adapted to a solid axle though. In heavy duty applications, IRS isn’t something you need, so it seems to me it’ll still be more cost effective the old way. Maybe there won’t be a gear in there, but I think you'll still see solid axles.

Wagon, semi manual, not brown, turbo because volvo > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 09/20/2016 at 22:45

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Wheels/tires in some sort of configuration for the foreseeable future. Until repulsorlifts get invented.

gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 09/20/2016 at 23:07

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The biggest issue with IRS is having to get torque around a constantly changing corner, and the amount of torque involved in commercial applications makes it impractical to incorporate. Just mount the motor to the knuckle and be done with it. Throw whatever girders you need in there as control arms. Independent suspension is better for every application.

Brian McKay > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 09/21/2016 at 00:41

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wheels

Nauraushaun > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 09/21/2016 at 08:48

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Suspension! Especially leaf springs. They were common 150 years ago, they’re common now. They’ll be common on electric and autonomous cars too, for certain applications.

Wheels are a more obvious answer. We take them for granted, but they are an invention that’s not about to go away.