Patent ID: 7614796

Claim:
A wheel support bearing assembly including: an outer member having an inner periphery formed with a plurality of raceways and an outer periphery formed with a vehicle body mounting portion; an inner member having an outer periphery formed with raceways cooperable and aligned with the raceways in the outer member; rows of rolling elements interposed between the raceways in the outer member and the raceway in the inner member, respectively, in which the outer periphery of the inner member is formed with a wheel fitting hub flange defined on an outboard side and the inner member includes a hub axle having an inner race mount defined on an inboard side and radially inwardly stepped to provide a reduced diameter; and an inner race member mounted on the inner race mount, with the raceways in the inner member defined in the hub axle and the inner race member, respectively, wherein an outer diameter of the hub axle as measured at a midpoint between the rows of the rolling elements on the outboard and inboard sides, respectively, is chosen to be greater than a minimum available diameter of the raceway on the inboard side, and the inner race member is formed with, on an outboard side of the inboard raceway thereof, a reduced diameter portion having an outer diameter smaller than the minimum diameter of the raceway on the inboard side.