Hydraulic control unit for a limited slip differential

A hydraulic control unit that delivers hydraulic fluid to a limited slip differential, the hydraulic control unit comprising:

• a hydraulic control unit housing having an accumulator housing portion and a housing manifold portion that collectively house a biasing assembly and a piston, the housing manifold portion forming an accumulator chamber with the piston;
• a sump defined in the hydraulic control unit housing and that at least partially occupies a common space with the accumulator housing portion;
• a pump that pumps fluid into the accumulator chamber of the accumulator housing portion;
• and
• a hydraulic coupling that has (i) a first end that is received by a first receiving bore defined on the hydraulic control unit housing, and (ii) a second end that is configured to extend through a hydraulic coupler receiving bore define in the axle housing and be received by a second receiving bore defined on the limited slip differential, the second end having an o-ring disposed therearound that sealingly engages the second receiving bore;
• wherein the fluid pumped into the accumulator chamber of the accumulator housing portion at least partially collapses the biasing assembly and introduces a pre-charge into the hydraulic control unit, wherein the biasing assembly is configured to subsequently expand after the pre-charge and urge the piston in a first direction resulting in fluid being communicated from the hydraulic control unit and into the limited slip differential.

A hydraulic control unit that delivers hydraulic fluid to a limited slip differential, the hydraulic control unit comprising:

• a hydraulic control unit housing having an accumulator housing portion and a housing manifold portion that collectively house a biasing assembly and a piston, the housing manifold portion forming an accumulator chamber with the piston;
• a sump defined in the hydraulic control unit housing and that at least partially occupies a common space with the accumulator housing portion;
• a pump that pumps fluid into the accumulator chamber of the accumulator housing portion;
• and
• a hydraulic control unit housing mounting structure having first and second receiving bores that both define a first diameter and wherein a first pair of first fasteners that both define a second diameter, less than the first diameter, couple the hydraulic control unit to an axle housing that houses the limited slip differential, the hydraulic control unit being pre-filled with hydraulic fluid prior to coupling to the axle housing;
• wherein the fluid pumped into the accumulator housing portion at least partially collapses the biasing assembly and introduces a pre-charge into the hydraulic control unit, wherein the biasing assembly is configured to subsequently expand after the pre-charge and urge the piston in a first direction resulting in fluid being communicated from the hydraulic control unit and into the limited slip differential.