Patent ID: 8465211
Filing Date: 2013-06-18
Classification: B60B,F16C,F16D

Abstract:
1. A wheel end for an automotive vehicle, said wheel end comprising: a housing having outboard and inboard ends; a hub having a drive flange located beyond the outboard end of the housing and a spindle that projects from the drive flange into the housing, the spindle at the inboard end of the housing having a shoulder and an abutment that is presented toward the shoulder and also an external spline located between the abutment and the shoulder; a bearing located between the housing and the hub spindle for enabling the hub to rotate relative to the housing about an axis, the bearing including: inboard tapered rollers arranged in an inboard row between the inboard raceways with their large ends against the inboard rib face; and; a drive coupler captured between the shoulder and the abutment on the hub spindle and configured to connect with a CV joint, the coupler having an internal spline that engages the external spline on the hub spindle, the coupler projecting outwardly beyond the large end of the inboard inner raceway and providing the inboard rib face for the tapered rollers of the inboard row, the coupler further providing a sealing surface that extends generally radially and is presented toward the bearing, yet is axially offset from the inboard rib face.