A dual plunging constant velocity (CV) drive shaft is provided for communicating rotational forces from a transaxle to a drive wheel of a vehicle. The dual plunging CV drive shaft comprises a drive shaft that transfers torque from the transaxle to the drive wheel. An inboard plunging CV joint is coupled between the transaxle and the drive shaft, and an outboard plunging CV joint is coupled between the drive shaft and the drive wheel. The inboard and outboard plunging CV joints each comprises an elongate housing that receives a CV joint coupled with the drive shaft. The inboard and outboard plunging CV joints communicate rotational forces from the transaxle to the drive wheel during vertical pivoting of a trailing arm coupled with the outboard plunging CV joint. The elongate housings allow the drive shaft to “float” longitudinally, as needed, during extreme pivoting motion of the suspension.

A protective covering for a shaft output of a transfer gearbox, comprising a solid, inelastic protective covering body, wherein the protective covering body has substantially the form of a frustoconical casing in order to surround a shaft in the region of the shaft output, having a first opening at a first axial end and a second opening at a second axial end, situated opposite from the first end, of the protective covering body, wherein the first opening is larger than the second opening, wherein the second opening is formed to surround the shaft, wherein, in the region of the first opening, a flange portion, lying at the top in the installed position, of the protective covering body is formed to be fastened to a housing of the transfer gearbox, wherein, in the region of the first opening, a portion, lying at the bottom in the installed position, of the protective covering body is formed to provide an outflow opening when the flange portion is fastened to the housing of the transfer gearbox.

A double Cardan joint has a driving fork; a driven fork; a central body connected to the two forks by means of respective cross shafts; a first protection cap connected to the central body; and a second protection cap connected to the driven fork and coupled to the driven fork in a rotary manner so as to rotate, relative to the driven fork, around a rotation axis, which is transverse, in particular orthogonal, to a longitudinal axis of the driven fork.

A constant velocity joint assembly includes a housing body having an outer surface and an inner surface extending between a first housing end and a second housing end along a central axis. The inner surface of the housing body defines a raceway. A plurality of rollers are disposed in the raceway. A flexible boot is operably fixed to the housing body, with the flexible boot extending along the central axis. A deflector ring is fixed to the outer surface of the housing body. The deflector ring has a metal inner ring portion and a non-metal outer ring portion.

A dual plunging constant velocity (CV) drive shaft is provided for communicating rotational forces from a transaxle to a drive wheel of a vehicle. The dual plunging CV drive shaft comprises a drive shaft that transfers torque from the transaxle to the drive wheel. An inboard plunging CV joint is coupled between the transaxle and the drive shaft, and an outboard plunging CV joint is coupled between the drive shaft and the drive wheel. The inboard and outboard plunging CV joints each comprises an elongate housing that receives a CV joint coupled with the drive shaft. The inboard and outboard plunging CV joints communicate rotational forces from the transaxle to the drive wheel during vertical pivoting of a trailing arm coupled with the outboard plunging CV joint. The elongate housings allow the drive shaft to “float” longitudinally, as needed, during extreme pivoting motion of the suspension.

A boot includes a large-diameter tubular portion, a small-diameter tubular portion, and a bellows portion. The large-diameter tubular portion includes a fastening groove into which a fastening member is fitted, an opening end to which the bellows portion is coupled and into which an outer case is inserted, at least one seal lip having an annular shape and protruding from an inner circumferential surface of the large-diameter tubular portion at the position where the fastening groove is projected to the inside in the radial direction, so as to be continuous over the entire circumference, and a protrusion protruding from the inner circumferential surface on the opening end side with respect to the seal lip so as to be provided over the entire circumference. A height of the protrusion is set to be smaller than a height of the seal lip.

A cover for a universal joint of a driveshaft comprises a first section, a second section, at least two cover fasteners, and at least one driveshaft fastener. At least a first cover fastener of the at least two cover fasteners is configured to connect a first section first edge to a second section first edge. At least a second cover fastener of the at least two cover fasteners is configured to connect a first section second edge to a second section second edge. The at least one driveshaft fastener is configured to connect the cover to the driveshaft or a yoke thereof without any portion of the cover contacting the universal joint.

The universal joint (5, 7) includes first and second forks (23, 25) each having a pair of arms (61) with seats (61.1) for respective trunnions (27.1) of a spider (27). The arms (61) extend from an outer edge (91.1) of a collar (91) provided to increase the stiffness of the arms and reduce bending deformations thereof under heavy load operating conditions.

A cardan shaft for a tool connected to a motor and provided with a system for checking conditions of use thereof. The cardan shaft has a rotatable shaft, with one or two end cardan joints. One or more sensor members are mounted on the cardan shaft to transmit signals to a data acquisition and data-processing electronic control unit (ECU) mounted on a fixed protection of the cardan shaft. The sensor members measure data such as torque transmitted by the cardan shaft, rotation speed of the rotatable shaft, vibrations of the cardan shaft, temperature of the cardan joint and articulation angle. A system for checking conditions of use of the cardan shaft has a remote node connected to the ECU and mounted on the fixed protection. The remote node acquires, stores and processes data sent to the ECU by the sensor members.

A sealing boot for sealing a joint of 8 & 8¼ front differentials, where the sealing boot comprises a first sealing boot section having a first cylindrical inside surface. The first sealing boot section is adapted for being tightly fitted to a shoulder section of an end portion of a differential output shaft protruding a housing of the 8 & 8¼ front differential. The shoulder section is disposed between a male spline and the housing. A second sealing boot section has a second cylindrical inside surface. The second sealing boot section is adapted for being tightly fitted to an outside surface section of an end portion of a CV axle shaft having a female spline disposed therein. The female spline being adapted for being engaged with the male spline of the differential output shaft. The sealing boot forms a sealed enclosure between the first cylindrical inside surface and the second cylindrical inside surface.