An axle assembly comprising: a housing assembly; an input pinion mounted to the housing assembly for rotation about a first axis; a ring gear received in the housing assembly and meshingly engaged with the input pinion; a ring gear bearing that supports the ring gear for rotation relative to the housing assembly about a second axis, the ring gear bearing having an outer bearing race, an inner bearing race and a plurality of first bearing elements, wherein the inner bearing race of the ring gear bearing being abutted against a shoulder formed on the housing assembly that is positioned along the second axis at a location that is between the first axis and the first bearing elements; and a differential assembly having a differential case and a pair of output members; wherein power transmission between the input pinion and the ring gear that drives the ring gear about the second axis in a first rotary direction generates a first thrust load that is directed along the second axis in a first direction, wherein power transmission between the input pinion and the ring gear that drives the ring gear about the second axis in a second rotary direction opposite the first rotary direction generates a second thrust load that is directed along the second axis in a second direction that is opposite the first direction, and wherein each of the first and second thrust loads is transmitted through the first bearing elements when the first and second thrust loads are transmitted between the ring gear and the housing assembly; characterized in that the outer bearing race comprising a first race member and a second race member, the first race member being unitarily and integrally formed with the ring gear, the second race member being received into a circumferentially extending groove formed in the ring gear, the first bearing elements being engaged to the inner bearing race and the first and second race members of the outer bearing race, and the differential case being fixedly coupled to the ring gear such that the second race member of the outer bearing race is disposed along the second axis between the differential case and the ring gear. a housing assembly; an input pinion mounted to the housing assembly for rotation about a first axis; a ring gear received in the housing assembly and meshingly engaged with the input pinion; a ring gear bearing that supports the ring gear for rotation relative to the housing assembly about a second axis, the ring gear bearing having an outer bearing race, an inner bearing race and a plurality of first bearing elements, wherein the inner bearing race of the ring gear bearing being abutted against a shoulder formed on the housing assembly that is positioned along the second axis at a location that is between the first axis and the first bearing elements; and a differential assembly having a differential case and a pair of output members; wherein power transmission between the input pinion and the ring gear that drives the ring gear about the second axis in a first rotary direction generates a first thrust load that is directed along the second axis in a first direction, wherein power transmission between the input pinion and the ring gear that drives the ring gear about the second axis in a second rotary direction opposite the first rotary direction generates a second thrust load that is directed along the second axis in a second direction that is opposite the first direction, and wherein each of the first and second thrust loads is transmitted through the first bearing elements when the first and second thrust loads are transmitted between the ring gear and the housing assembly; characterized in that the outer bearing race comprising a first race member and a second race member, the first race member being unitarily and integrally formed with the ring gear, the second race member being received into a circumferentially extending groove formed in the ring gear, the first bearing elements being engaged to the inner bearing race and the first and second race members of the outer bearing race, and the differential case being fixedly coupled to the ring gear such that the second race member of the outer bearing race is disposed along the second axis between the differential case and the ring gear.