Patent ID: 7205760

Claim:
An axle assembly for a vehicle, comprising: an axle housing having a tubular portion, a recess being formed on an annular wall of the tubular portion proximate a distal end of the tubular portion, a proximal end adapted to be coupled to a differential assembly, a hole being formed through the tubular portion and intersecting the recess, the recess defining a datum surface, and at least one flange coupled to the distal end of the tubular portion adjacent to the recess, the at least one flange adapted to support a brake assembly; a bearing mounted in the tubular portion of the axle housing; an axle shaft disposed in the tubular portion of the axle housing and supported by the bearing, the axle shaft having a shaft end and an integrally formed target portion, the shaft end being adapted to be coupled to a differential side gear, the target portion including a plurality of teeth and being disposed proximate the bearing on a side that is between the shaft end and the bearing; and a sensor coupled directly to the tubular portion of the axle housing, the sensor being mounted in the hole and abutting the recess to thereby space a tip of the sensor apart from the teeth of the target portion by a predetermined distance.