The short answer is yes, in a strange way this key auto part was named by magic. Gear heads and off-roaders often use slang for auto parts ever heard a differential referred to as a "hoghead" or a "banjo"? But the actual names of parts and accessories have some interesting origins, too. Here are stories of how a few of the off-road auto parts and accessories we know and love came to be named.
The original name for the universal joint or U joint is the Cardan joint and its roots stretch way back in time. In the 16th Century, Italian mathematician and alleged magician Jerome Cardan invented a type of universal joint in a shaft that allowed it to rotate when out of alignment. Still used in off-road vehicles today, the Cardan joint and its problem of jerky rotation has been constantly improved on.
The double Cardan joint drive shaft partially remedies the rotation glitch and the Birfield joint is a constant velocity design proposed by Alfred Rzeppa in 1936. Marfields and Longfields are types of joints designed to function as unbreakable Birfields. Marlin Crawler named theirs the Marfield and the recently deceased Bobby Long dubbed his joint the Longfield. Just to confuse the issue more, Cardan joints are also known as universal couplings, Hardy-Spicer joints, Dana-Spicer joints, and Hookes joints.
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Attached between the steering gear box and the drag link is the Pitman arm. The Pitman arm doesnt get its name from an individual, but rather from sawmill speak. The man who was in a pit below a log who pulled a saw through the wood to create boards was known as the pitman.
The unconventional crank converts the turning motion of a sawmill water wheel to the saws up and down motion. In a truck or Jeep, that crank is called a Pitman arm and it functions as a critical part of the steering system for control.
Another interesting connection between vehicles and water is found in the term drive shaft. Originally, the drive shaft was called the propeller shaft because it was used in boats.
Tonneau covers are essential accessories for pickup owners and come in all styles from roll-ups and fold ups to retractables. They protect valuable possessions and shield truck beds from the elements, but how did they get the name tonneau (pronounced tawn-oh)? Tonneau derives from French and designated a vehicle's open air rear compartment for passengers. The French word describes the act of rolling over or alternately means barrel, cask or container.
Those tubular bumpers running along the side of 4x4s instead of running boards are known as nerf bars or nerf steps. How the heck did they get that name? Their etymology comes from the verb nerf, to bump lightly, and considering their lighter touch, the name is perfect. Items like the nerf bar side step continue to evolve and enthuse off-roaders eager to mod their rides.
Research by: CJ Bantam
CJ Bantam is a freelance writer in the off-road industry
