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Torque coupling allows lighter vehicles

allow slippage and lighten cars with it
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Certain turning car parts have to be strong (and therefor heavy) to resist sudden torque. For certain of them it seems to me one could use a slippage device such as brake pads or two powerful permanent magnets connected positive-to-negative to lessen the maximum stress these parts need be expected to withstand.It could look like this:

---part A--(MagnetA)(MagnetB)-Part B---

If sudden torque is applied the devices would slip against each-other until their rotational speed matches. Otherwise they would provide a coupling like a single piece of metal.

edit: This could also provide energy absorption in certain accidents.
Voice, Mar 01 2011

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       which parts are you proposing?
WcW, Mar 01 2011
  

       axles
Voice, Mar 01 2011
  

       Makes more sense to just do this at the torque converter, no?
RayfordSteele, Mar 01 2011
  

       Or at the clutch.
MaxwellBuchanan, Mar 01 2011
  

       Like others said this is pretty much baked by the torque converter or clutch. But nobody mentioned the flex disk farther down the drivetrain.   

       Powerful enough magnets would be a lot heavier than gears.
DIYMatt, Mar 01 2011
  
      
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