how does a "continuously variable" transmission work?

[dpopiz]

and why don't all cars have them now that they exist?

 

[dionx]

Originally posted by: dpopiz
and why don't all cars have them now that they exist?

cost of product and cost to implement it in everything

 

[dug777]

google is your friend...

i am not however.

 

[Pepsi90919]

http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&q=how...variable%22+transmission+work%3F&meta=

 

[cavemanmoron]

repost

 

[0roo0roo]

too bad howstuffworks doesn't really have an indepth thing on it. unlike those google sites, they ussually have nice animations😛

would be nice if they had something on the double clutch auto shifting tranny thing from vw. hard to wrap my mind around it.

 

[desk]

Originally posted by: dpopiz
and why don't all cars have them now that they exist?

they can't handle a lot of power, yet.

and a lot of people don't like the feel of a transmission that doesn't shift.


*advertisement*

that being said...go buy a hybrid escape. it has an electronic cvt! 😉

 

[slyedog]

they can handle the power, but the weight of them is a killer

 

[desk]

Originally posted by: slyedog
they can handle the power, but the weight of them is a killer

a cvt uses a belt and pulley design, which is not as robust of a design as a geared t/a. there are long-term reliability issues.

 

[malbojah]

Originally posted by: desk

Originally posted by: slyedog
they can handle the power, but the weight of them is a killer

a cvt uses a belt and pulley design, which is not as robust of a design as a geared t/a. there are long-term reliability issues.

Yeah, just look at how many times Saturn had to replace the CVT transmission in the VUE. They also had to extend the warranty on it a couple of times until they finally just dropped it.

 

[sciencewhiz]

Originally posted by: desk
a cvt uses a belt and pulley design, which is not as robust of a design as a geared t/a. there are long-term reliability issues.

There are many different designs fr CVTs, with belt and pulleys being only one of them. You can also do it with disks and friction transfer (like snow mobiles), and with planetary gear systems.