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A propeller shaft is a mechanical component of drive train that connects transmission to drive wheels/axle with the goal to transfer rotation and torque. It is used when the direct connection between transmission and drive axle is not possible due to large distance between their respective assigned design spaces. In commercial vehicles especially in heavy duty (GVW/GCW>15 tons) a single piece propeller shaft is seldom used due to its inherent disadvantages and therefore, most if not all, of the setups consists of multiple pieces of propeller shaft which are directly mounted on to frame cross members with the help of mounting brackets. As such the mounting bracket assembly undergoes various dynamic and static loading conditions and should be able to withstand these loads. This paper will focus on the FEA analysis of propeller shaft mounting assembly system. Furthermore, these results will be correlated with physical tests results collected from test rig and physical vehicle testing.

The main driving force behind recent innovations in automotive sector is the need to decrease the dependability on fossil fuels and move towards alternative sources for energy. While there is still substantial scope for improvement in conventional diesel and petrol engine based powertrains, the inherent dependency on limited and rapidly depleting carbon based fuels make their long term usage impractical highlighting the need for alternative non-conventional powertrain setups. In the recent past, electric powertrains have come out as favorable alternative as they are extremely flexible in adopting to scenarios where energy for use might be drawn from multiple sources such as solar power, hydroelectric, nuclear reaction, etc. The advantages can further be magnified by adopting the electric power based powertrains in mass transportation application such as bus application.