This work presents a study of the bending vibrations of front wheel drive automobile half-shafts, using various theoretical models results in comparison with published experimental data. It’s well known that this kind of noise problem occurs when a vertical excitation frequency generated by the engine equals one of the bending natural frequencies of the half-shaft or its interconnecting shaft[7],[8]. The experimental modal analysis is today the preferred method used in the study of this kind of problem[7]. This work, investigates the determination of the bending natural frequencies of a front wheel drive automobile half-shaft, using the transfer matrix method (TMM)[1],[4] and the finite element method (FEM)[6] in the solution of a theoretical model. This model considers the boundary conditions existing in the vehicle, and also in the solution of other simplified models. These results are then compared with published experimental modal analysis results [7], and conclusion about the validity of the proposed methods and models in analyzing these resonance problems and in the design of automobile half-shafts is presented.
