Pillow block bearing assembly for a drivetrain assembly of a work vehicle

A work vehicle, comprising:

• an articulated chassis including a front chassis frame and a rear chassis frame;
• a transmission supported by the front chassis frame;
• an articulation shaft coupled to the transmission;
• a rear axle shaft coupled to the articulation shaft, the rear axle shaft defining an outer circumferential surface;
• and
• a pillow block bearing assembly supporting the rear axle shaft relative to the rear chassis frame, the pillow block bearing assembly comprising:
• a pillow block housing mourned to the rear chassis frame, the pillow block housing defining a bearing cavity;
• a bearing disposed within the bearing cavity, the bearing including an outer race coupled to the pillow block housing and an inner race rotatable relative to the outer race, the bearing further including first and second rows of bearing elements positioned between the inner and outer races, the inner race defining an inner circumferential surface, the rear axle shaft extending through the bearing such that the outer circumferential surface of the rear axle shaft directly contacts the inner circumferential surface of the inner race at a bearing/shaft interface defined between the rear axle shaft and the bearing;
• and
• first and second sealing devices installed within the bearing cavity, the first sealing device being positioned on a first side of the bearing and the second sealing device being positioned on an opposite, second side of the bearing, each of the first and second sealing devices including a sealing ring extending radially inwardly from the pillow block housing and a resilient sealing member extending radially inwardly from the sealing ring such that the resilient sealing member directly slidingly contacts the outer circumferential surface of the shaft,
• wherein a sliding fit is defined between the outer circumferential surface of the rear axle shaft and the inner circumferential surface of the inner race at the bearing/shaft interface such that the rear axle shaft is allowed to slide axially relative to the bearing when a given axial load is applied through the rear axle shaft.