Patent ID: 8690690

Claim:
A shaft assembly comprising: a propeller shaft having first and second opposite ends; a first universal joint fixed to the first end of the propeller shaft; and a second universal joint fixed to the second end of the propeller shaft, the second universal joint comprising a constant velocity joint having an outer race member, an inner race member, a plurality of balls, a shaft member and a boot seal, the outer race member defining a plurality of first bearing surfaces and being directly fixed to the propeller shaft for common rotation about an axis defined by the propeller shaft, the inner race member defining a plurality of second bearing surfaces that extend along the entire axial length of the inner race member, the plurality of balls being received between the inner race member and the outer race member and engaging the first and second bearing surfaces to transmit rotary power between the outer and inner race members, the inner race member having a splined internal aperture, the shaft member having a first coupling portion and a second coupling portion, the first coupling portion having a male-splined segment that is engaged to the splined internal aperture to thereby non-rotatably couple the shaft member to the inner race member, the second coupling portion comprising an internally splined bore that is adapted to engage a male splined shaft segment, the boot seal being coupled to the outer race and the shaft member.