Patent ID: 8567548

Claim:
An independent rear wheel drive assembly for use in three-wheeled vehicles, the independent rear wheel drive assembly comprising: a wheel carrier adapted to rotatably support a wheel, the wheel carrier having an interior portion; a control arm having a first end, a second end, and an interior portion, wherein the first end of the control arm is pivotably coupled to the wheel carrier for pivotal rotation and the second end of the control arm is pivotably coupled to a housing that is adapted to be coupled to a vehicle frame; a stabilizer bar having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the stabilizer bar is pivotably coupled to the wheel carrier for pivotal rotation and the second end of the stabilizer bar is pivotably coupled to the housing; and a drive shaft assembly having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is adapted to be coupled to the wheel and the second end is adapted to be coupled to a power transmission assembly, wherein a first portion of the drive shaft assembly is disposed within the interior portion of the wheel carrier and a second portion of the drive shaft assembly is disposed within the interior portion of the control arm, wherein the housing is a differential housing, and wherein the differential housing is coupled to a swing arm replacement that is adapted to be pivotably secured to a portion of the vehicle frame.