Half shaft to bearing hub connection to reduce driveline click

A vehicle drive assembly comprising:

• a wheel bearing hub defining a receptacle including internal splines, a bearing face of the wheel bearing hub defines an opening to the receptacle;
• and
• a half shaft including a joint housing and a stem extending from the joint housing, the stem seated within the receptacle of the wheel bearing hub, the stem including:
• a splined portion including a plurality of external splines meshed with the internal splines;
• a shoulder between the splined portion and the joint housing, the shoulder has a maximum outer diameter that is greater than a minor diameter of the internal splines of the wheel bearing hub;
• and
• a sloped stop surface between the splined portion and the shoulder, the sloped stop surface in contact with ends of the internal splines of the wheel bearing hub to stop the joint housing from moving into contact with the bearing face;
• wherein the sloped stop surface is spaced apart from the joint housing at a first distance, and the ends of the internal splines are spaced apart from the bearing face at a second distance, the first distance is greater than the second distance such that contact between the sloped stop surface and the ends of the internal splines stops the joint housing from contacting the bearing face.

A vehicle drive assembly comprising:

• a wheel bearing hub defining a receptacle including internal splines, a bearing face of the wheel bearing hub defines an opening to the receptacle;
• and
• a half shaft including a joint housing and a stem extending from the joint housing, the stem seated within the receptacle, the stem including:
• a splined portion including a plurality of external splines meshed with the internal splines;
• a shoulder between the splined portion and the joint housing, the shoulder has a maximum outer diameter that is greater than a minor diameter of the internal splines of the wheel bearing hub;
• and
• a stop surface between the splined portion and the shoulder, the stop surface in contact with ends of the internal splines of the wheel bearing hub to stop the joint housing from moving into contact with the bearing face;
• and
• a polymeric seal seated in a gap defined between the bearing face and the joint housing, the polymeric seal contacts both the bearing face and the joint housing.