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Downsizing and Light weighting is the latest trend in the automotive industry to achieve more fuel efficient, compact and cost effective design of vehicles. Powertrain components compromise of more than 45% of the total vehicle weight. Automakers are putting significant efforts to reduce the weight of power train components. Integrated design of aluminum Engine Head and Intake manifold has been successfully implemented. Now currently we have identified the gear box housings for downsizing in light duty trucks i.e. Existing light duty trucks Cast Iron transmission. This design has been successfully modified with integrated clutch housing and transmission housing, using lightweight aluminum as the new material, using simulation tools. This lead to weight savings of up to 30% and cost savings of 20-25% as compared to existing cast iron designs. Using an integrated design reduces the assembly cost, makes the design more compact and gives better weight balance.

In manual driven vehicle, gear change mechanism is a component that is too often taken granted but it is one of the most important feature of the vehicle. Customer touches, feels the entire vehicle through gear shift mechanism hence it must be quick and smooth in action, efficient and totally reliable. In cab over engine type truck configuration, the mechanical single rod is preferable and best efficient option for gear shift mechanism. In conventional single rod design, one end of gear shifting linkage is mounted on the engine through bracket and the lever comes inside from the cabin, beside the driver seat for changing the gears. Another end of this linkage is connected to vehicle transmission shift lever. In this conventional design, gear shift lever is having huge induced vibration, which is irritating and frustrating in nature. And during the cabin tilting at its axis, a cut out is required on cabin floor which allows cab tilting when GSL is mounted on engine.

Manual Gear shifting mechanism is a customer touch point in vehicle driving conditions and it is a frequently used functional part of the vehicle. Inherent challenges exist to develop a gear shifting system that achieves better comfort shifting gears in manual transmissions, i.e. gear shift levers should be comfortable, efficient and reliable. There are several traditional concepts available for designing a mechanical interface for gear shift system like cable GSL (Gear Shift Linkages), mechanical GSL, engine mounted SRGSL (single rod gear shift linkages), directly transmission mounted GSL. All are having pros and cons over another. A unique attempt is made to provide an efficient single rod type gear actuation system for commercial vehicle where one end is directly mounted on the cowl floor of the bus/Truck and another end is connected to transmission lever.