A plunging assembly of a driveshaft includes: an outer housing having a bore having a plurality of outer ball grooves extending in a longitudinal direction; an inner shaft being disposed to be able to undergo relative movement in the longitudinal direction in the bore of the outer housing and having a plurality of inner ball grooves that are paired respectively with the outer ball grooves to form a plurality of ball tracks; a plunging unit connecting the outer housing and the inner shaft to allow a plunging motion and a rotational power transmission between the outer housing and the inner shaft; and a stopper that is provided in the bore of the outer housing to limit relative movement of the inner housing and the inner shaft in a direction in which the inner shaft is inserted into the bore. The outer housing has a mounting hole communicating with the bore, and the stopper is a plug member that is inserted into the mounting hole in a state that a frontal end portion thereof is exposed to the bore.

A wheel end support assembly and method of assembly. The assembly may include a spindle, a brake torque plate, and a locator bushing. The locator bushing is received in a first locator hole of the spindle and a second locator hole of the brake torque plate and aligns the brake torque plate to the spindle.

A removable spindle assembly improvement comprised of a spindle housing end unit having a threaded cavity. A corresponding threaded removable spindle is torqued into the threaded cavity. The spindle has a tapered section that includes O-rings for creating a seal along the corresponding section of the cavity to prevent corrosion which assists in the elimination of spindle seizure within the spindle housing end unit's cavity. The spindle housing end unit's housing includes at least two threaded apertures that cooperate with sealed set screws for securing the spindle in place during operation. The set screws are placed apart at an odd number of 15 degree increments. This assembly facilitates easy removal and replacement of a spindle on a spring axle.

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.

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.

A rear axle assembly designed to fit within a predefined rear axle envelope of a transportation vehicle. The rear axle assembly comprising first and second double wheel hubs each supporting a pair of tires, a rear axle offset with respect to a central axis of the rear axle assembly, a rear axle input for receiving a drive input, first and second portal housings which facilitate respectively connecting the rear axle with the first and the second double wheel hubs, a four-point control arm for connecting the rear axle to a chassis, first and second spring carriers each carrying smaller and larger diameter air bellows, first and second longitudinal arms which interconnected the rear axle to the chassis, and first and second shock absorbers each located generally at or adjacent to the central axis and radially between the first double wheel hub and the first spring carrier.

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.

Methods and systems are provided for operating a vehicle that may be propelled via a primary axle and a secondary axle. In one example, a propulsion source of a secondary axle may be decoupled from at least one wheel via a dog clutch that includes teeth. The dog clutch may be disengaged in a way that reduces driveline noise and may reduce a possibility of driveline degradation.

Methods and systems are provided for operating a vehicle that may be propelled via a primary axle and a secondary axle. In one example, a propulsion source of a secondary axle may be decoupled from at least one wheel via a dog clutch that includes teeth. The dog clutch may be disengaged in a way that reduces driveline noise and may reduce a possibility of driveline degradation.

An adjustable front axle includes an axle housing; an axle tube connected to an end of the axle housing; an inner-C-forging disposed on the axle tube at an end away from the axle housing; and a mounting apparatus configured for detachably fixing the inner-C-forging to the axle tube. The inner-C-forging is provided with a first angle adjustment structure, the axle tube is provided with a second angle adjustment structure. The mounting apparatus is disposed on the axle tube, and capable of cooperating with the inner-C-forging to fix the inner-C-forging to the axle tube. The first angle adjustment structure and the second angle adjustment structure have different cooperation positions such that the inner-C-forging has different installation angles relative to the axle tube. A vehicle is also provided.