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Axle Assembly Having a Drive Pinion and a Bearing Preload Element

  • US 20190186610A1
  • Filed: 02/22/2019
  • Published: 06/20/2019
  • Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2017
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. An axle assembly comprising:

  • a housing;

    a drive pinion that is rotatable about an axis with respect to the housing, the drive pinion including;

    a gear portion; and

    a shaft portion that extends from the gear portion;

    a first set of roller bearing elements disposed in the housing that rotatably support the shaft portion;

    a second set of roller bearing elements disposed in the housing between the first set of roller bearing elements and the gear portion that rotatably support the shaft portion;

    a yoke that is at least partially disposed outside the housing, wherein the yoke receives the shall portion;

    a yoke retainer that couples the yoke to the shaft portion; and

    a preload element that exerts a preload force on at least one of the first set of roller bearing elements and the second set of roller bearing elements, wherein the preload element is disposed on the drive pinion in an inboard direction from the yoke, the inboard direction extending along the axis from the yoke toward the gear portion.

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