Patent ID: 6736544
Filing Date: 2004-05-18
Classification: F16C,F16H,Y10T

Abstract:
A differential, comprising:a housing; an inner bearing having an inner cup mounted within the housing and supporting an inner cone assembly; an outer bearing having an outer cup mounted within the housing and supporting an outer cone assembly; a pinion drive shaft having a shaft supported by the inner cone assembly and outer cone assembly, a pinion gear at a first end of the shaft in engagement with the inner cone assembly, and a shank extending from a shoulder at a second end of the shaft; an input yoke coupled to the second end of the shaft between the outer cone assembly and the shank and in engagement with the outer cone assembly; a nut disposed about the shank and in engagement with the input yoke; and a preload spacer disposed between the nut and the shoulder outboard of the outer bearing; and wherein the preload spacer limits the relative movement between the input yoke and pinion drive shaft, limiting the force of the input yoke on the outer cone assembly and the pinion gear on the inner cone assembly and allowing increased clamp load between the shank and nut.