Various drop head coupling assemblies are described. The coupling assemblies enable a drop head tool typically used in drain cleaning operations to be releasably engaged with a drain cleaning cable. The coupling assemblies enable the drop head tool to undergo a wide range of motion relative to the drain cleaning cable, particularly during rotation of the cable and drop head.

A universal joint includes: a yoke; cups; a cross shaft; a plurality of needles; washers each including; a washer main body portion which has a circular plate shape, and which is disposed between one of the cup bottom portions, and one of the shaft portions, a needle side raised portion which has an annular shape, which is integrally formed on an outer circumference side of one of the washer main body portion, and which protrudes toward the needle side, and a cup bottom portion side raised portion which has an annular shape, which is integrally formed on the outer circumference side of the one of the washer main body portions, and which protrudes toward the cup bottom portion side.

A steering assembly includes a pinion shaft. The steering assembly also includes a yoke defining a space for axially receiving the pinion shaft and defining an access path for receiving a fastener that couples the pinion shaft to the yoke. The steering assembly further includes an error-proofing device fixed to the yoke and having a deflectable portion blocking the access path in an initial position and deflectable upon contact with the pinion shaft to be clear of the access path in a final assembly position to ensure that the pinion shaft is assembled to the yoke at a predetermined axial position.

A central connector for a universal joint and a universal joint utilizing said central connector. The central connector includes a substantially cylindrical body. The connector further includes a first and second pair of arms positioned orthogonal to one another. The body of the central connector also includes a male spherically concave surface between the first pair of arms, a female spherically concave surface between the second pair of arms. The body further defines an opening allowing communication between the male and female spherically concave surfaces.

A constant velocity joint for a multi-piece propeller shaft includes an outer race extending from a first outer race end to a second outer race end to define an exterior surface. A tuned damper extends radially outwardly from the exterior surface of the of the outer race for reducing noise, vibration, and/or harshness (NVH) generated during operation of the multi-piece propeller shaft.

A torque transmission shaft includes a shaft and a clamp. The shaft includes: a male serration in one axial end portion; a slit in the other axial end portion, the slit axially extending and having a closed end on one side and an open end on the other side; a fitting cylinder portion in the other axial end portion; and a female serration provided in of the other axial end portion. The clamp includes: a discontinuous portion arranged at one place in the circumferential direction; a pair of flange portions arranged on both sides of the discontinuous portion; a connecting portion connecting the flange portions; and an insertion hole for fitting cylinder portion. The clamp is fitted onto the fitting cylinder portion to reduce the diameter of the fitting cylinder portion by narrowing the width dimension of the discontinuous portion.

A cross joint comprises a flange yoke and a stab yoke, each comprising a based end portion and a pair of arm portions having a shaft hole and extending from both sides of the base end portion, and a spider having a first shaft fitted into the shaft hole of the flange yoke and a second shaft fitted into the shaft hole of the stab yoke, wherein the cross joint further comprises a flexing limiting portion, which limits a flexing angle of the cross joint due to mutual contact of a protruding portion of the base end portion and a flange portion of the spider when the flange yoke is flexed to a predetermined angle.

A center bearing assembly for a multi-piece propeller shaft includes a stud yoke extending along an axis A between first and second stud yoke ends to define a central stub shaft rotatable about the axis A. A rotatable weld collar is operably connected to the second stud yoke end of the central stub shaft for simultaneous rotation therewith. The rotatable weld collar includes a body extending from a first collar end disposed adjacent the central stub shaft to a second collar end to define an exterior surface. A tuned damper extends radially outwardly from the exterior surface of the rotatable weld collar for reducing noise, vibration, and/or harshness (NVH) generated during operation of the multi-piece propeller shaft. A first shaft segment is operably connected to the rotatable weld collar and a second shaft segment is operably connected to the stud yoke for transferring a rotational force therebetween.

A shaft assembly includes a yoke having a yoke body having an exterior surface extending between a first end and a second end along a first axis. The yoke body defines a first bore and a second bore. The first bore extends along the first axis between the first end and the second end. The second bore extends partially across the yoke body along a second axis that is disposed transverse to the first axis. The second bore at least partially intersects the first bore.

The torque transmission shaft has a shaft having a hollow tubular shape and a clamp. The shaft has a connecting portion integral with the shaft at one axial end portion, a slit extending in the axial direction in a portion on the other axial end side and opens on the other side in the axial direction, and a female serration on the inner circumferential surface of the other axial end portion. The clamp is separate from the shaft and has a non-continuous portion at one location in the circumferential direction, a pair of flange portions on both sides of the non-continuous portion, and a connecting portion connecting the pair of flange portions in the circumferential direction. The clamp is externally fitted and fixed to the other axial end portion of the shaft and reduces the diameter of the other axial end side portion of the shaft.