Four-wheel drive vehicle

Abstract

A four-wheel drive vehicle including an engine of which output shaft extends transversely, a transmission connected with one side of the engine transversely through a clutch or a torque converter, an inter-axle differential machanism constituted by a planetary gear machanism, a first inter-wheel differential mechanism of a bevel gear type for transmitting a driving force to first wheels which are located closer to the engine than second wheels longitudinally, second inter-wheel differential mechanism for transmitting the driving force the second wheels through transfer gear mechanism, propeller shaft mechanism, and inter-axle differential restricting mechanism for restricting a differential operation. The inter-axle differential mechanism, input gear means of the transfer gear mechanism and the first inter-wheel differential mechanism are coaxially disposed on an axle of the first wheels. The inter-axle differential mechanism is disposed at one side of the first inter-wheel mechanism where the engine is located with regard to a transverse direction of the vehicle and in a space formed by a clutch housing receiving the clutch or the torque converter. The input gear mechanism and the inter-axle differential restricting mechanism are received in a transfer housing connected to a side end of the clutch housing where the engine is located with regard to the transverse direction of the vehicle.