A typical front-engine, rear-wheel-drive car has how many universal joints and what other driveline feature?

• A. Two universal joints and a slip yoke
• B. One universal joint and a drive shaft
• C. Three universal joints and a drive flange
• D. Two universal joints and a constant-velocity joint

Answer: (A)

Transmitting power from the transmission to the rear differential in a typical front-engine, rear-wheel-drive car requires flexibility to keep the driveshaft from binding as the suspension moves and the angles change. This is achieved with two universal joints — one at each end of the drive shaft — which allow the shaft to bend and accommodate those angular changes. The slip yoke on the transmission end lets the output shaft slide in and out slightly as the drivetrain length changes, preventing binding from small length variations during acceleration, braking, and suspension movement.

Why the other descriptions don’t fit: a single universal joint wouldn’t handle the range of motion at both ends; the drive shaft itself is the component, not the feature being described; a drive flange is just a type of connection at the differential end and doesn’t address the need for a slip mechanism; and a constant-velocity joint is used in different driveline designs to remove speed variation under angle, which isn’t the standard setup for a typical drive shaft in a conventional front-engine, rear-wheel-drive car.