A guard for protecting a drain plug and a ground-facing surface of an axle housing on a machine including a first portion and a second portion. The first portion has a body configured to be mounted to the axle housing to protect at least portion of the ground-facing surface of the axle housing. The body includes an opening configured to allow access to and removal of the drain plug through the opening. The second portion is removably couplable to the first portion. When the second portion is attached to the first portion, the second portion covers the opening to protect the drain plug. When the second portion is removed, the drain plug is accessible and removable to service oil in the axle housing.

A transaxle includes a planetary gear reducer and a differential device. The planetary gear reducer includes a stepped pinion, a first needle bearing, a second needle bearing, and a carrier. The stepped pinion includes a pinion shaft with which a large diameter pinion and a small diameter pinion are integrated. The first needle bearing is fitted to a part of the pinion shaft outside the large diameter pinion. The second needle bearing is fitted to a part of the pinion shaft outside the small diameter pinion. The carrier is configured to support the stepped pinion via the first needle bearing and the second needle bearing such that the stepped pinion is rotatable with respect to the carrier, and to couple the stepped pinion and the differential device.

A vehicle axle assembly including an axle housing, carrier assembly, and first and second axle shafts. The axle housing is formed from an upper beam and a lower beam that are positioned in a clam-shell arrangement. The carrier assembly includes a carrier housing and a differential that includes a ring gear arranged in meshing engagement with a pinion. The first and second axle shafts extend outwardly from the differential in opposite directions. The pinion is rotatably supported by a self-lubricating cartridge pinion input bearing and the outboard ends of the first and second axle shafts are rotatably supported by self-lubricating and unitized grease wheel end bearings. These bearings do not require lubrication from oil contained inside the axle housing allowing for a reduced oil fill level in the axle housing, creating less viscous losses and better efficiency.

A commercial automotive vehicle, such as trucks and buses, having an auxiliary shaft associated with an auxiliary engine, a coupling and/or uncoupling device and a method for controlling the coupling and/or uncoupling between a shaft of commercial automotive vehicles and an auxiliary engine associated with the shaft. Specifically, the vehicle has a device that couples and/or decouples the effects of at least one auxiliary engine to a shaft, allowing that, in a coupled state, the shaft receives auxiliary traction from the auxiliary engine or the auxiliary engine acts as a generator of braking energy in a regenerative way and, in a decoupled state, it allows the shaft to rotate freely so that no energy losses occur due to friction of the device components.

A commercial automotive vehicle, such as trucks and buses, having an auxiliary shaft associated with an auxiliary engine, a coupling and/or uncoupling device and a method for controlling the coupling and/or uncoupling between a shaft of commercial automotive vehicles and an auxiliary engine associated with the shaft. Specifically, the vehicle has a device that couples and/or decouples the effects of at least one auxiliary engine to a shaft, allowing that, in a coupled state, the shaft receives auxiliary traction from the auxiliary engine or the auxiliary engine acts as a generator of braking energy in a regenerative way and, in a decoupled state, it allows the shaft to rotate freely so that no energy losses occur due to friction of the device components.

A low suspension arm strut coupling is provided for a suspension of an off-road vehicle. The suspension comprises a lower suspension arm that is hingedly coupled between a chassis of the off-road vehicle and a spindle assembly that is coupled with a front wheel. An upper suspension arm is hingedly coupled between the chassis and the spindle assembly. A strut is coupled between the lower suspension arm and the chassis. A lower pivot couples the strut to the lower suspension, and an upper pivot couples the strut to the chassis. The upper and lower pivots provide a lower center of gravity of the off-road vehicle and a relatively smaller shock angle. The lower suspension arm is reinforced to withstand forces due to movement of the front wheel and operation of the strut in response to travel over terrain.

A driving device for an electric truck which can obtain good ride quality by decreasing the unsprung weight while achieving the adequate fuel efficiency performance by improving the power transmission efficiency and which can improve the mountability of a battery. The driving device includes a driving unit that accommodates therein a motor, a gearbox, and a differential device. The driving unit is supported by a first support part with respect to a ladder frame. Drive shafts coupled to the differential device are accommodated in hollow members. The hollow members are elastically supported by a second support part with respect to the ladder frame.

A rod-end front suspension is provided for an off-road vehicle. The rod-end front suspension comprises a spindle assembly that is pivotally coupled with an upper suspension arm by way of a first rod-end joint and pivotally coupled with a lower suspension arm by way of a second rod-end joint. A steering rod-end joint coupled with the spindle assembly pivotally receives a steering rod. An axle assembly coupled with the spindle assembly conducts torque from a transaxle to a wheel coupled with the spindle assembly. Each of the first and second rod-end joints comprises a ball rotatably retained within a casing. The ball is fastened within a recess between parallel prongs extending from the spindle assembly. A threaded shank extending from the casing is threadably fixated with the suspension arm, such that the spindle assembly may be moved with respect to the casing and the suspension arm.

An adjustable portal box assembly for selectively mounting a wheel to an off road vehicle in either of two positions. The assembly includes a mounting plate mountable to the suspension of an off road vehicle, and a portal box is mountable to the mounting plate. The portal box includes an input shaft opening for an input shaft, and an output opening for an output shaft. The portal box is mountable to the mounting plate in a first position in which the output shaft is positioned to extend the wheelbase relative to the input shaft, or in a second position in which the output shaft is positioned in vertical alignment with the input shaft.

An electric drive axle for a motor vehicle including an axle housing, an electric motor having an output shaft directly driven by a bevel pinion gear coupled thereto, a fixed ratio planetary gear arrangement, a differential unit including a differential gear arrangement housed within a differential case and a first clutch selectively operable to connect a portion of the planetary gear set to a stationary member of the drive axle so that the drive axle operates in a first gear ratio.