I've been looking for a thread like this for a very long time but to no avail so I decided to start one. Hopefully, this will be of some assistance to those who wonder what is meant by certain terminology, as well as acronyms. Please feel free to add more. If there is something you don't know but would like defined, just add it but leave the definition out. Then, those of us who might know can fill in the blanks. Learning the lingo can really be a struggle for those of us who are new. Hopefully, this info can help alleviate this situation.
The format I recommend for acronyms and other terminology is as follows:
Acronym = What it standes for: Definition
Terminology: Definition
So here we go . . .
SAS = Solid Axle Swap: Replacement of the Independent Front Suspension (IFS) with a solid axle.
IFS = Independent Front Suspension: A type of suspension system that allows each wheel on the same axle to move vertically (i.e. reacting to a bump in the road) independently of each other.
Panhard Rod: A component of a car suspension system that provides lateral location of the axle (prevents sideways movement of the axle). It is connected from one side of the axle housing to the opposite side of the body or chassis.
Third Member: A device which takes the rotation and torque of the drive shaft as the input and applies it to the axles as the output. The third member is sometimes called a differential, but is not quite the same thing.
Differential: Also called a third member, but different in that the differential is designed to allow the axles/wheels to rotate at different speeds while turning, saving tire wear and strain on the drivetrain.
Lockers: Devices in the differential which essentially lock the axles together, allowing each wheel to apply as much rotational force as the traction under it will allow.
Okay, so that should do it for now. I'll add more later.
