Patent ID: 8387740

Claim:
A motor vehicle, comprising: a frame; a drive mechanism mounted to the frame; a differential gear box mounted to the frame and coupled to the drive mechanism, the differential gear box including, (a) a housing cover, (b) a differential planetary gear assembly mounted within the housing cover, (c) a constant velocity (CV) joint housing mounted within the housing cover and rotationally coupled to the differential planetary gear assembly, the CV joint housing including a cavity opposite the differential planetary gear assembly with a plurality of slotted bearing drive surfaces formed in a sidewall of the cavity, and (d) a CV joint bearing including a plurality of rounded bearing surfaces contacting the slotted bearing drive surfaces; and an axle including a spring-loaded plunger disposed through a center portion of the CV joint bearing and contacting a bearing surface formed in the cavity of the CV joint housing, wherein the slotted bearing drive surfaces permit angular movement of the CV joint bearing within the CV joint housing.