A vehicle driveline component having a housing with a lube feed ramp between a bearing bore and a surface in which a first end of a lubricant channel is formed. The bearing supports a pinion for rotation about a first axis. The surface is transverse to the bearing bore. The lube feed ramp is defined by a warped planar surface that provides a transverse transformation between the bearing bore and the surface that is transverse to the bearing bore. The lube feed ramp is configured to direct a portion of a lubricant exiting the bearing into the first end of the lubrication channel.

A differential reducer for a motor vehicle, including: a differential mechanism including a ring gear; a reduction mechanism including a secondary pinion and a primary pinion; a crankcase including a first half-crankcase and a second half-crankcase, of which an internal transverse wall of each half includes three bearing seats, each internal transverse wall having first means for collecting and directing oil sprayed by the ring gear, which means turn in a first direction of rotation to the bearing seats; wherein each internal wall includes second means for collecting oil which is sprayed substantially transversally through rotation of the ring gear in a second direction of rotation.

An axle assembly with a carrier housing, an input pinion and a ring gear. The input pinion includes pinion gear teeth and is supported for rotation about a first axis relative to the carrier housing via first and second bearings. The ring gear includes ring gear teeth that are meshed to the pinion gear teeth and a third bearing supports the ring gear for rotation about the second axis relative to the carrier housing. The third bearing is disposed along the second axis on a side of the ring gear that is opposite the first axis.

A vehicle axle assembly includes an axle housing and a carrier assembly. The carrier assembly includes a carrier housing and a differential assembly that includes a ring gear arranged in meshing engagement with a pinion gear. The gears are urged away from one another by separation forces during torque transfer. The carrier housing includes a curved wall circumscribed by a mounting flange as well as a plurality of integrally formed and parallel spaced apart gussets interconnecting the curved wall and the mounting flange. The gussets extend in a direction parallel to the gear separation forces to resist bending of the carrier housing. Other features increasing the structural rigidity of the one-piece carrier housing are discussed.

An axle assembly having a gear reduction unit that is configured to operatively connect an electric motor to a drive pinion. The gear reduction unit includes at least one countershaft gear set. At least one clutch is engageable to provide a torque path between the electric motor and the drive pinion.

A transmission unit includes a transmission housing, a transmission element rotatably accommodated in the transmission housing, a bearing seat, and an angular contact ball bearing accommodated in the bearing seat, for mounting the transmission element, as well as a double-row angular contact ball bearing having: an inner bearing ring; an outer bearing ring; a first ball-cage assembly with first balls which are accommodated in a first track space extending between a first inner rolling element raceway of the inner bearing ring and a first outer rolling element raceway of the outer bearing ring; and a second ball-cage assembly with second balls which are accommodated in a second track space extending between a second inner rolling element track of the inner bearing ring and a second outer rolling element track of the outer bearing ring.

A method of machining a carrier housing for an axle assembly comprises obtaining a carrier housing including circumferentially spaced apart tabs and positioning a datum setting tool in engagement with the carrier housing. The carrier housing is clamped to a fixture to position the carrier housing at a first orientation relative to a coordinate system within a work cell. The datum setting tool is disengaged from the carrier housing. Portions of the carrier housing along a first side are machined to define features including a carrier mounting flange and a cylindrical bearing bore extending perpendicular to the carrier mounting flange while the carrier housing remains clamped at the first orientation. Different portions of the carrier housing, on a second opposite side of the carrier housing, are machined to define additional geometrical feature while the initial clamped orientation continues to be maintained.

A counter gear mechanism includes: a fifth gear in mesh with a third gear; a sixth gear in mesh with a fourth gear; and a seventh gear in mesh with a differential input gear. The seventh gear is disposed between the fifth gear and the sixth gear in an axial direction. A switching mechanism is disposed between the third gear and the fourth gear in the axial direction. The switching mechanism makes switching among: a state in which the third gear is coupled to a second input member; a state in which the fourth gear is coupled to the second input member; and a state in which the third gear and the fourth gear are decoupled from the second input member. This structure is able to make an entirety of an apparatus compact in size in the axial direction when the apparatus includes the switching mechanism to change the speed ratio between the second input member, which is drivingly coupled to an internal combustion engine, and output members.

A differential carrier assembly having a differential, a differential carrier, and a differential bearing support. The differential carrier has a bearing support mount that may extend from a mounting flange of the differential carrier. The differential bearing support is mounted to the bearing support mount and receives a bearing assembly that rotatably supports the differential.

A vehicle driveline component having a housing with a lube feed ramp between a bearing bore and a surface in which a first end of a lubricant channel is formed. The bearing supports a pinion for rotation about a first axis. The surface is transverse to the bearing bore. The lube feed ramp is defined by a warped planar surface that provides a transverse transformation between the bearing bore and the surface that is transverse to the bearing bore. The lube feed ramp is configured to direct a portion of a lubricant exiting the bearing into the first end of the lubrication channel.