Patent ID: 7025162

Claim:
A hydraulic four-wheel drive vehicle, comprising: a vehicle frame; a first transaxle disposed at one of front and rear portions of the vehicle, said first transaxle including a first housing supported by said vehicle frame, said first housing having an outwardly projecting first port, a pair of first axles disposed in said first housing, a first differential gearing differentially connecting said first axles to each other, and a first hydraulic motor disposed in said first housing so as to be drivingly connected to said first differential gearing and fluidly connected to said first port; a second transaxle disposed at the other rear or front portion of the vehicle, said second transaxle including a second housing supported by said vehicle frame, said second housing having an outwardly projecting second port, a pair of second axles disposed in said second housing, a second differential gearing differentially connecting said second axles to each other, and a second hydraulic motor disposed in said second housing so as to be drivingly connected to said second differential gearing and fluidly connected to said second port; an engine supported by said vehicle frame; a common variable displacement hydraulic pump drivingly connected to said engine, wherein said common hydraulic pump is supported by said vehicle frame out of said first and second housings; a first pipe interposed between said hydraulic pump and said first port so as to fluidly connect said first hydraulic motor to said hydraulic pump; a second pipe interposed between said hydraulic pump and said second port so as to fluidly connect said second hydraulic motor to said hydraulic pump; and an operation device for the traveling direction of the vehicle, wherein at least one of said first and second hydraulic motors is variable in displacement according to operation of said operation device.