Patent ID: 7360951

Claim:
A detachable half shaft assembly of a vehicle wheel end having a shaft bell and a disc rotor, the detachable half shaft assembly comprising: a detachable shaft having an inboard interface at an inboard end and an outboard interface at an outboard end, the inboard interface for connecting to the shaft bell and the outboard interface for connecting to the disc rotor, the detachable shaft having a bearing receiving portion defined by a stepped boss and a roll formed face; and a preloaded bearing assembly preloaded and maintained about the detachable shaft, the preloaded bearing assembly comprising: an outer race including an inner wall formed therethrough having an inboard outer raceway and an outboard outer raceway formed thereon; an outboard inner race disposed adjacent the outboard end of the detachable shaft, the outboard inner race having a first raceway formed thereon and configured to cooperate with the outboard outer raceway of the outer race to house bearings, the outboard inner race having an outboard inner surface; and an inboard inner race disposed adjacent the inboard end of the detachable shaft, the inboard inner race having a second raceway formed thereon and configured to cooperate with the inboard outer raceway of the outer race to house bearings, the inboard inner race having an inboard inner surface, the bearing receiving portion radially receiving inboard and outboard inner surfaces, the stepped boss and the roll formed face engaging the bearing assembly to maintain the preload on the detachable shaft when the detachable half shaft assembly is detached from the shaft bell or the disc rotor.