Patent ID: 7195399

Claim:
A wheel end assembly comprising: a bearing shaft having an inboard end and an outboard end; a wheel hub mounted onto said outboard end of said bearing shaft; a detachable outboard joint mounted onto said inboard end of said bearing shaft; a wheel bearing mounted onto said bearing shaft between said inboard end and said outboard end; said inboard end of said bearing shaft including a flange portion, said flange portion providing a support to keep said wheel bearing positioned onto said bearing shaft and to induce a pre-load into said wheel bearing such that said pre-load is maintained on said wheel bearing when said outboard joint is removed from said wheel end assembly; and a support hub positioned between and interconnecting said detachable outboard joint and said bearing shaft, said support hub having a shaft portion engaging said bearing shaft on an inner diameter of said bearing shaft and an engagement portion extending axially from said shaft portion; wherein, said engagement portion being attached to said outboard joint so as to prevent axial movement between said engagement portion and said outboard joint.