Patent ID: 7543895

Claim:
A vehicle axle comprising a composite tubular member, said composite tubular member having an outer wall surface and an interior elongated channel, said interior channel having an inner wall surface, said composite tubular member also having a first end wall and a second end wall at opposite ends of said composite tubular member, a pair of metal sheaths mounted on said at opposite ends of said composite tubular member, each of said sheaths having an outer surface, an inner surface, an innermost end portion having an inner end portion edge, said inner end portion edges facing one another in spaced apart relationship on said composite tubular member, and an outer end portion having an outer end portion edge, said inner end portion having a transition area, said transition area having a first area of changing thickness and a second area of a substantially constant thickness, each of said metal sheaths having stabilization means formed in the outer surface of each of said metal sheaths.