Patent ID: 7258641

Claim:
A drive axle assembly, comprising: a housing; an input shaft extending into said housing and disposed about an axis of rotation; a plurality of differential gears drivingly coupled to said input shaft; a first side gear disposed about said input shaft and said axis of rotation on one side of said plurality of differential gears, said first side gear drivingly coupled to said plurality of differential gears and configured to provide power to a first wheel differential, said first wheel differential including a ring gear; and, a second side gear disposed about said input shaft and said axis of rotation on another side of said plurality of differential gears, said second side gear drivingly coupled to said plurality of differential gears and to an output shaft; a bearing disposed about said second side gear and supporting said second side gear for rotation within said housing wherein said bearing directs lubricant splashed by said ring gear to said plurality of differential gears.