What is a Drivetrain?

By Mister Transmission

A drivetrain may be the least understood part of a vehicle. This is due to several factors, including the fact that the term “drivetrain” is often used interchangeably with powertrain and driveline.

The drivetrain includes the transmission, the driveshaft, the axles, and the wheels. Simply put, it works in conjunction with the engine to move the wheels. The drivetrain system is an essential component of a vehicle and the transmission is an integral part of the drivetrain.

The Drivetrain and the Transmission

The drivetrain and the transmission are actually two very different concepts. The main function of the transmission is similar to the chain on a bicycle: it keeps the engine turning in time with the wheels, regardless of what gear the vehicle is in. The drivetrain represents everything that is behind the transmission involved in propelling the vehicle. The main function of the drivetrain is basically to convey power from the vehicle’s engine, through the transmission to the drive wheels on the vehicle to control the amount of torque. “Torque” is turning or twisting force.

Parts of a Drivetrain

The drivetrain is comprised of a collection of components in a vehicle that transfer power from the transmission to the wheels/ drive it forward. These components include the driveshaft, CV joints, the differential, the axle shafts and the U-joints.

  • A driveshaft is a long tube of steel that is linked to a car’s transmission at one end and the wheels at the other. It transfers the mechanical power from the transmission to the other components of the vehicle.
  • A U-joint, or universal joint, is a flexible pivot point that transmits power allowing for varying angles of the driveshaft.
  • CV joints, or constant-velocity joints, are part of the driveshaft. These joints are designed to be able to bend in any direction while continuing to turn the drive wheels at a constant velocity.
  • The differential is where the power makes its last stop before spinning the wheels (see ‘How Differentials Work’).
  • Axle shafts are a single rotating shaft, on either side of the differential, which delivers power from the final drive assembly to the drive wheels.

Driveline, Drivetrain, Powertrain

Technicians sometimes refer to driveline, drivetrain and powertrain interchangeably when referring to the drivetrain system of an automobile. This can cause confusion, but in essence, all of these terms describe the same system within the vehicle.

The powertrain in a vehicle is composed of everything that makes the vehicle move. This includes everything from the engine to the transmission to all the parts that allow the power from the engine to get to the wheels. A vehicle’s driveline consists of all of the powertrain’s components except for the engine.

The drivetrain is the part of a motorized vehicle which connects the engine and transmission to the wheel axles.

The driveline includes everything in the chain from the engine to the drive wheels, but the drivetrain consists of everything after the transmission — all driveshafts, axles, joints, differentials and wheels.

Mister Transmission technicians are all certified drivetrain and transmission specialists who service drivetrain and transmission issues in all modern vehicles.

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Customer Reviews
dealing with Mr transmission has...
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Date: May 1, 2026
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Jason and Jordan were amazing...
Toby Field
Jason and Jordan were amazing to deal with for the CVT service on my daughter's 2021 Subaru Crosstrek. Highly recommend
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Mister transmission was great to diagnose our company vehicle rapidly and even answered my call after hours! Julie and staff were wonderful to deal with. Highly recommended as an honest and professional business! Thanks again
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I can not recommend these...
David
I can not recommend these guys enough. A few years ago these guys fixed my front dif for half of anyone else because they were willing to fix it rather then replace it and it's still going strong. Many km later my transmission started having rough shifts and other shops told me my transmission was not serviceable. Mr transmission saved me again and was able to do a transmission service and get my truck driving like new again!
Date: April 30, 2026
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I have dealt with Mr....
Jewel Mom
I have dealt with Mr. Transmission twice now, first for a transmission repair and then for some engine issues that I originally suspected of being Transmission related. Both times I received excellent service. Gus takes the time to explain the issue(s) and best options. I would recommend Scarborough Mr Transmission to a friend.
Date: April 30, 2026
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I can not recommend these...
David
I can not recommend these guys enough. A few years ago these guys fixed my front dif for half of anyone else because they were willing to fix it rather then replace it and it's still going strong. Many km later my transmission started having rough shifts and other shops told me my transmission was not serviceable. Mr transmission saved me again and was able to do a transmission service and get my truck driving like new again!
Date: April 30, 2026
Website: Google
i walked in as someone...
Amanpreet Kaur
i walked in as someone who doesnt know much about cars and got the amazing service !!! thank you
Date: April 29, 2026
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I was having transmission problems...
Matthew T
I was having transmission problems with my Ford pickup truck. Called mr transmission and Jason got me in right away. They had a diagnosis the next day and I went ahead with the work. Jason was great to deal with. Good communication and im happy with the service.
Date: April 28, 2026
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Great communication and helped me...
Jeremy Dreise
Great communication and helped me to understand what was needed. Detailed bill and explanation was fantastic.
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Pran Jai
Called for estimate on transmission flush and was advised they only do repairs now. However, he was very helpful and provided more details on the type of work my car actually needs and saved me a couple hundred dollars of irrelevant maintenance. Seems like a honest shop.
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