Connect-disconnect apparatus for a vehicle drivetrain

A vehicle, comprising:

• an engine for producing power;
• a ground-engaging traction member for propelling the vehicle in a travel direction;
• a drivetrain comprising a transmission and a final drive assembly, the transmission including a transmission output element disposed along a longitudinal axis for transferring power from the engine to the final drive assembly, and the final drive assembly removably coupled to the transmission to operably drive the ground-engaging traction member, the final drive assembly comprising a supporting structure, a drive actuator, a driver, and a coupling shaft;
• wherein, a longitudinal gap is defined between the transmission output element and the final drive assembly;
• wherein, the drive actuator is disposed in a first position in which it is coupled to the supporting structure and rotatably fixed, and in a second position in which it is decoupled from the supporting structure and rotatable about the longitudinal axis, wherein the drive actuator is moveable between the first position and the second position;
• wherein, the driver is coupled to the coupling shaft and the drive actuator in its first and second positions, the driver being rotatable about the longitudinal axis but axially fixed relative to the transmission output element;
• further wherein, in the second position, rotation of the drive actuator induces longitudinal movement of the coupling shaft a distance sufficient to span the gap and to operably couple the final drive assembly to the transmission output element.

A method for removably coupling a transmission to a final drive assembly of a vehicle, the transmission including a transmission output element and the final drive assembly having a drive actuator, a driver, and a coupling shaft, the method comprising:

• moving the drive actuator in an axial direction from a first position to a second position;
• disengaging the drive actuator from being rotatably fixed in the first position to being rotatable about a longitudinal axis in the second position;
• rotating the drive actuator in a first direction to induce rotational movement of the driver;
• axially moving the coupling shaft from a first axial position in which the final drive assembly is disengaged from the transmission output element to a second axial position in which the final drive assembly is engaged with the transmission output element;
• and
• aligning the coupling shaft in the axial direction with the transmission output element for operably coupling the final drive assembly with the transmission output element in the second axial position.