Patent ID: 7232399

Claim:
A differential assembly for a vehicle equipped with axle shafts, the differential assembly comprising: a differential casing rotatable about an axis, the differential casing including a first pin aperture having a ledge; a ring gear fixed to the differential casing; a pair of side gears disposed within the differential casing and adapted to drivingly engage the axle shafts; a spacer disposed between the side gears, the spacer having a second pin aperture; and a cross pin having a body and a transversely extending head, the body being received into the first and second pin apertures, wherein the transversely extending head is positioned at a first orientation during receipt of the cross pin into the first pin aperture to clear the ring gear, the head engaging the ledge to limit axial movement of the cross pin relative to the differential casing, the transversely extending head being rotated to a second orientation when coupled to the differential casing; wherein the cross pin is adapted to limit movement of the axle shafts in a direction toward one another and the spacer limits movement of the side gears toward one another.