Patent ID: 7055667

Claim:
A wheel end disconnect mechanism for a vehicle, comprising: an axle shaft; a wheel hub mounted to said axle shaft and rotatably mounted to said vehicle by a wheel bearing; an interlock mechanism for engaging and disengaging said wheel hub to said axle shaft; said wheel bearing including an outer race and a bearing assembly, said wheel bearing being provided with a first passage extending through said outer race, said first passage being provided in communication with a second passage extending generally radially through a wall of said wheel hub for communicating with said interlock mechanism, said first passage being connected to a source of pressurized gas for activating said interlock mechanism; a gas pressure fitting in said wheel bearing in communication with said first passage; and an annular fitting disposed between an inner surface of said outer race of said wheel bearing and an outer surface of said wheel hub, said annular fitting directly adjacent to and having a flow path in communication with said first passage and said second passage, said annular fitting configured to generally prevent communication between said flow path and said bearing assembly.