Patent ID: 8602193

Claim:
A heavy duty transmission, comprising: a housing made from a first material having a first coefficient of thermal expansion; a clutch assembly provided within the housing; a rotating shaft in driving communication with the clutch assembly and being made from a second material having a second coefficient of thermal expansion that is less than the first coefficient of thermal expansion such that for a given increase in temperature, the housing undergoes a greater amount of thermal expansion than does the rotating shaft; a bearing arrangement supporting the rotating shaft within the housing and including, an end bearing being concentrically seated upon and axially fixed to an end of the rotating shaft; an intermediate bearing being coaxially aligned with the end bearing and concentrically spaced from the rotating shaft; and a bearing retainer including a cylindrical sidewall that has a counterbore which concentrically houses at least part of the end bearing therein, and a lip extending inwardly from the cylindrical sidewall and that is sandwiched between the end and intermediate bearings and a flange extending outwardly from the cylindrical sidewall, the bearing retainer arranged so that each of the cylindrical sidewall and the flange engages the housing, wherein the retainer is separate from the housing and fixed thereto at the flange.