Drive assembly

A method of assembling components of a drive assembly comprising:

• providing a housing having a bore extending between a first opening and a second opening perpendicular to the bore extending to an exterior of the housing;
• providing a shaft and a bearing assembly mounted to the shaft, the bearing assembly including a bearing, and a sleeve having a tubular section, a radially inwardly extending flange at a first end of the tubular section and a radially outwardly extending flange at a second end of the tubular section, wherein the bearing is received in the tubular section and abuts at least a portion of the tubular section and the radially inwardly extending flange, the shaft having at least one gear fixed for rotation with the shaft and spaced axially from the bearing assembly;
• and
• inserting the shaft and bearing assembly into the bore of the housing such that the radially outwardly extending flange abuts a surface of the housing surrounding a first opening of the housing thereby setting an axial position of the shaft relative to the bore of the housing such that the at least one gear is aligned axially with the second opening;
• wherein the at least one gear includes a bevel gear, and wherein the sleeve resists a separation force generated by the bevel gear along an axis of the shaft away from the bearing.