Adaptive bearing preload adjustment system

A vehicle comprising:

• a prime mover;
• a transmission assembly coupled to the prime mover;
• and
• at least one axle assembly connected to the transmission assembly, the at least one axle assembly comprising:
• an axle housing including a passage;
• an axle extending through the passage;
• a bearing supporting the axle in the passage, the bearing including an outer race and an inner race;
• and
• an adaptive bearing preload adjustment system mounted adjacent the bearing, the adaptive bearing preload adjustment system includes an adjustment assembly having a first member including a first pocket having a first ramped surface formed therein and a second member including a second pocket having a second ramped surface formed therein, at least one of the first member and the second member abutting the inner race and a bearing element arranged in the first and second pocket, adaptive bearing preload adjustment system being selectively activatable to adaptively adjust a preload force on the inner race of the bearing.

A method of adaptively adjusting a preload on a vehicle axle bearing comprising:

• sensing a force on an axle of a vehicle;
• determining a selected preload to support the force;
• and
• adjusting the preload on the vehicle axle bearing by shifting a first member of an adaptive bearing preload adjustment system relative to a second member of the adaptive bearing preload adjustment system where at least one of the first and second members abutting the bearing and shifting a ball along a first ramped surface of the first member and a second ramped surface of the second member shifting at least one of the first and second members axially.