A method for controlling a differential braking arrangement of a vehicle, said vehicle comprising at least one auxiliary braking arrangement and at least one differential braking arrangement, said auxiliary braking arrangement and said differential braking arrangement being connected to a pair of propelled wheels of said vehicle, wherein the differential braking arrangement is arranged to control a relative rotational speed between the pair of propelled wheels, wherein the method comprises the steps of receiving a signal indicative of a downhill slope for a road ahead of said vehicle; determining an inclination of said downhill slope; determining a braking power needed for the at least one auxiliary braking arrangement for preventing the vehicle speed of the vehicle from exceeding a predetermined speed limit when driving at the downhill slope; and engaging the at least one differential braking arrangement for reducing the relative rotational speed between the propelled wheels if the determined braking power of the at least one auxiliary braking arrangement is higher than a predetermined threshold.

Methods of controlling a tandem axle assembly in a vehicle, the tandem axle assembly including an inter-axle differential (IAD), one or more side gears, and a front tandem axle assembly having a pair of front tandem axle half shafts selectively connected to a pair of front tandem axle wheel hub assemblies. When a determined speed of the vehicle is greater or equal to a predetermined speed, the IAD may be locked, the tandem axle wheel hub assemblies may be disconnected from their respective tandem axle shafts, and/or the IAD may be moved out of engagement with the one or more side gears. When a determined speed of the vehicle is less than a predetermined speed, the IAD may be unlocked, the tandem axle wheel hub assemblies may be connected to their respective tandem axle shafts, and/or the IAD may be engaged with the one or more side gears.

A drive device for a motor vehicle, comprising a drive shaft, an at least two-speed manual transmission, a differential and a left and right output shaft, wherein the manual transmission is formed by a planetary gear mechanism, wherein the differential is integrated in the planetary gear mechanism.

A drive force control system appropriately controls motors each connected to a corresponding one of drive wheels, so that a vehicle can be propelled with high efficiency. First motor and second motors are controlled in such a manner that a sum of torques transmitted to a right front wheel and a left rear wheel equals to a total value of required torques of the right front wheel and the left rear wheel. A target torque of the first motor and a target torque of the second motor achieving a smallest amount of power output from an electrical power source, for the output torques from the first motor and the second motor are calculated. A torque is generated by the first motor based on the target torque of the first motor calculated, and a torque is generated by the second motor based on the target torque of the second motor calculated.

A shifting device for a positively engaging clutch having complementary first and second positively engaging coupling elements includes a housing and an actuator rod which is axially movable within the housing by means of an associated rod actuating mechanism. A clutch shift fork for engagement with the first coupling element is mounted on the actuator rod for axial movement of the first coupling element into and out of engagement with the second coupling element in response to axial movement of the actuator rod. The clutch shift fork is mounted on the actuator rod by a threaded connector such that the clutch shift fork is axially movable on the actuator rod. Thus conveniently the axial position of the clutch fork on the shaft may be altered by rotating the shaft relative to the clutch fork for accurate positioning of the clutch fork relative to the coupling element with which it engages.

An axle assembly including a differential case and a side gear having an inboard surface and an outboard surface disposed in the differential case. The side gear outboard surface defines a first plurality of locking teeth. A locking gear having an inboard surface and an outboard surface, wherein the inboard surface includes a second plurality of locking teeth selectively engaged with the first plurality of locking teeth. A biasing member disposed axially between the side gear and the locking gear. An electromagnetic coil disposed adjacent the locking gear. A first inductive sensor for sensing a position of the locking gear.

In at least some implementations, a system for a vehicle differential having multiple gears includes a coil of wire, a drive member movable in response to a magnetic field generated by application of electricity to the coil between a first position and a second position, and a lock member coupled to the drive member for movement with the drive member throughout a range of movement of the drive member. The lock member is adapted to engage a gear of the differential when the drive member is in the second position and the lock member is adapted to be disengaged from the gear when the drive member is in the first position. In this way, the differential may be selectively locked.

A transaxle includes: an axle housing in which an input gear is rotatably supported; a differential casing that is contained in the axle housing while being rotatably supported relative to the axle housing; first and second side gears as a pair of spur gears that are contained in the differential casing, coaxially arranged, relatively rotatable with each other, and rotatable relative to the differential casing; a group of pinions as spur gears that are rotatably supported, in the differential casing, by rotational shafts that are in parallel with axes of the first and the second side gears in the differential casing, the group of pinions transmitting power between the first side gear and the second side gear; and a final gear having a ring shape that is contained in the axle housing, meshes with the input gear, incorporates the differential casing, and is relatively unrotatably coupled to the differential casing.

A power transmission assembly for tandem axles of a vehicle, the assembly including an input axle, a first drive axle, a second drive axle, a plurality of engagement/disengagement devices, a locking device, and a differential unit. The differential unit being set for power distribution between the drive axles of the vehicle, from which, in cooperation with the engagement/disengagement devices and the locking device, enables configurations of the drive axles in which the first and the second drive axles are driven, one of the drive axles is driven and the other drive axle is not driven, or all the drive axles are not driven.

Drivetrain systems and methods are provided. In one example, the drivetrain system includes an interaxle differential (IAD) configured to receive power from a prime mover, a motor configured to drive a planetary gearset, and a ball ramp actuator configured to selectively engage a plurality of plates in a clutch pack of a friction clutch in response to receiving rotational input from the planetary gearset. In an engaged configuration, the friction clutch prevents speed differentiation between a first IAD output and a second IAD output.