A mechanical locking differential includes a drive lock motor supported by the differential housing. The drive lock motor is disposed opposite the input bevel gear assembly, higher than the differential input and the differential outputs. The drive lock motor is coupled to a differential lock with a gear train that includes a worm drive, to output rotational motion on a lock output gear. The lock output gear causes sliding motion of a rack and a rack follower, pressing the differential lock into or out of engagement. The drive lock motor assembly is disposed fully between the right and left extents of the differential.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an automotive differential gear and an automotive transmission in which torque is suppressed while maintaining rigidity and a lifespan derived from a bearing. A typical configuration of an automotive differential gear 100 according to the present invention is characterized in that a double-row angular ball bearing (a bearing 130) having a plurality of rows of balls having the same ball diameter and the same pitch circle diameter is disposed at least on a ring gear 106 side of a final shaft 120 extending from the ring gear 106 side to a driving wheel side.

A driveline component with a differential having a differential gearset mounted in a differential case. The differential gearset has first and second side gears and one or more pinion gears that are meshed with the first and second side gears. The differential gearset is configured to limit inboard thrusting of the first and second side gears so that backlash will be always be present between the pinion gears and each of first and second side gears.

An axle system (150) for a vehicle comprises: a differential unit (10) including a first housing (24) and a second housing (20) which rotationally receives at least part of said first housing; at least one drive shaft (11) having one end configured to be connected to a wheel of the vehicle and one end connected to the differential unit (10) and rotationally received in the first housing (24), the drive shaft (11) including at least one joint (110) connecting two portions (114a, 114d) of the drive shaft (11) to transmit rotary motion between said portions; a first bearing (30) secured around the drive shaft (11), placed between the drive shaft and the first housing (24), having an outer diameter (D30) smaller than the radial dimension (D) of the joint (110); a second bearing (40) placed between the first housing (24) and the second housing (20); at least one tightening member (50) to axially lock the first bearing outer ring (32) relative to the first housing (24). The tightening member comprises at least one manoeuvring portion (51) which is arranged in an offset relation relative to the joint (110), when looking axially towards the differential unit (10), so that the tightening member manoeuvring portion (51) is visible and accessible, at least during a tightening phase of an axle system mounting process.

A tapered roller bearing includes a cage supporting a plurality of tapered rollers. The cage includes a large-diameter annular portion; a small-diameter annular portion; pillars through which the large-diameter annular portion and the small-diameter annular portion are coupled together; and pockets in which the respective tapered rollers are disposed. A space is defined between the outer ring and the inner ring, and constitutes an oil flow path through which lubricating oil (a) flows from the side of the small flange to the side of the large flange. Each pillar includes, in its radially inner surface, an oil groove in which lubricating oil is retained. When the cage rotates, the lubricating oil retained in the oil grooves of the pillars is scattered out of the oil grooves, thereby preventing seizure between the large-diameter end surfaces of the tapered rollers and the large flange of the inner ring.

A method for manufacturing a differential device includes a first step and a second step. The first step is to cast a differential case by pouring molten cast iron into, via a gate, a mold having, on a mold surface, a mark formation site that has a specific positional relationship to the gate. The second step is to fit the differential case with a ring gear and weld the differential case and the ring gear together entirely around a prescribed axis. In the second step, the differential case and the ring gear are welded together using a mark formed on the differential case by the mark formation site in the first step so that an overlap of welding does not occur in a portion of the differential case formed near the gate of the mold.

The invention relates to an assembly for a differential unit of a vehicle. The assembly comprises: a first housing portion (20a) designed to be assembled with a second housing portion for forming a differential carrier housing (20); a first and a second supporting devices (30, 301, 302), each comprising a main portion having substantially the shape of a ring for receiving in use a differential housing (24). Each of the supporting devices (301, 302) is made as a single piece which is a piece separate from the first housing portion (20a) and secured to said first housing portion (20a).

An axle assembly that includes a housing assembly, an input pinion, a ring gear, a ring gear bearing, and a differential assembly having a differential case. The ring gear bearing supports the ring gear for rotation on the housing assembly as well as handles thrust loads between the ring gear and the housing assembly in opposite axial directions. The ring gear bearing includes an outer bearing race having a first race member, which may be unitarily and integrally formed with the ring gear, and a second race member that is received in a groove formed on the ring gear. The differential case is coupled to the ring gear and secures the second race member to the ring gear.

An axle assembly having a drive pinion that may be rotatably supported by first and second sets of roller bearing elements. A preload element may exert a preload force on at least one of the first and second sets of roller bearing elements. The preload element may be disposed on the drive pinion in an inboard direction from the yoke.

A driveline component with a differential having a differential gearset mounted in a differential case. The differential gearset has first and second side gears and one or more pinion gears that are meshed with the first and second side gears. The differential gearset is configured to limit inboard thrusting of the first and second side gears so that backlash will be always be present between the pinion gears and each of first and second side gears.