Transaxle

An improved transaxle of the type having a differential section with a front, a transmission section, an input shaft with a surface and with a transmission end having splines with sides, a forward drum having mating splines with sides and being splined to the input shaft, a forward hub in the forward drum, an intermediate shaft splined to the forward hub, planetary gears connected to the intermediate shaft, an output shaft attached to the planetary gears, a pinion shaft attached to the output shaft, a pinion gear connected to the pinion shaft, and a ring gear powered by the pinion shaft with such ring hear having a first side and an opposite side, wherein the improvement comprises:

• the differential section having a space between the differential section and the input shaft;
• the transmission section having a space between the transmission section and the input shaft;
• the splines radiating outward from the transmission end of the input shaft beginning at the distance of the outer diameter of the remainder of the input shaft;
• and
• at least one mating spline on the forward being narrowed on at least one side.

An improved transaxle of the type having a differential section with a front, a transmission section, an input shaft with a surface and with a transmission end having splines with sides, a forward drum having mating splines with sides and being splined to the input shaft, a forward hub in the forward drum, an intermediate shaft splined to the forward hub, planetary gears connected to the intermediate shaft, an output shaft attached to the planetary gears, a pinion shaft attached to the output shaft, a pinion gear connected to the pinion shaft, and a ring gear powered by the pinion shaft with such ring hear having a first side and an opposite side, wherein the improvement comprises:

• the differential section having a space between the differential section and the input shaft;
• the transmission section having a space between the transmission section and the input shaft;
• the splines radiating outward from the transmission end of the input shaft beginning at the distance of the outer diameter of the remainder of the input shaft;
• and
• a bottom of at least one position on the forward drum that is occupied by a spline being lowered.

An improved transaxle of the type having a differential section with a front, a transmission section, an input shaft with a surface and with a transmission end having splines with sides, a forward drum having mating splines with sides and being splined to the input shaft, a forward hub in the forward drum, an intermediate shaft splined to the forward hub, planetary gears connected to the intermediate shaft, an output shaft attached to the planetary gears, a pinion shaft attached to the output shaft, a pinion gear connected to the pinion shaft, and a ring gear powered by the pinion shaft with such ring hear having a first side and an opposite side, wherein the improvement comprises:

• the differential section having a space between the differential section and the input shaft;
• the transmission section having a space between the transmission section and the input shaft;
• the splines radiating outward from the transmission end of the input shaft beginning at the distance of the outer diameter of the remainder of the input shaft;
• and
• at least one position for a mating spline on the forward drum being left without a mating spline.

An improved transaxle of the type having a differential section with a front, a transmission section, an input shaft with a surface and with a transmission end having splines with sides, a forward drum having mating splines with sides and being splined to the input shaft, a forward hub in the forward drum, an intermediate shaft splined to the forward hub, planetary gears connected to the intermediate shaft, an output shaft attached to the planetary gears, a pinion shaft attached to the output shaft, a pinion gear connected to the pinion shaft, and a ring gear powered by the pinion shaft with such ring hear having a first side and an opposite side, wherein the improvement comprises:

• the differential section having a space between the differential section and the input shaft;
• the transmission section having a space between the transmission section and the input shaft;
• the splines radiating outward from the transmission end of the input shaft beginning at the distance of the outer diameter of the remainder of the input shaft;
• and
• at least one spline on the transmission end of the input shaft being narrowed on at least one side.

An improved transaxle of the type having a differential section with a front, a transmission section, an input shaft with a surface and with a transmission end having splines with sides, a forward drum having mating splines with sides and being splined to the input shaft, a forward hub in the forward drum, an intermediate shaft splined to the forward hub, planetary gears connected to the intermediate shaft, an output shaft attached to the planetary gears, a pinion shaft attached to the output shaft, a pinion gear connected to the pinion shaft, and a ring gear powered by the pinion shaft with such ring hear having a first side and an opposite side, wherein the improvement comprises:

• the differential section having a space between the differential section and the input shaft;
• the transmission section having a space between the transmission section and the input shaft;
• the splines radiating outward from the transmission end of the input shaft beginning at the distance of the outer diameter of the remainder of the input shaft;
• and
• at least one position for a spline on the transmission end of the input shaft being left without a spline;
• a bushing around the input shaft;
• a channel on a first side of the bushing;
• a tube connected to, and in fluid communication with, said channel;
• a cooler attached to, and in fluid communication with, said tube;
• another tube connected to, and in fluid communication with said cooler;
• another channel connected to, and in fluid communication with said other tube, proceeding near to the surface of the input shaft;
• a transmission fluid pump on the front of the differential section;
• a pinion carrier having a front end and a rear end;
• a cup race for a tapered roller bearing near the front end of said pinion carrier;
• a tapered roller bearing in said cup race;
• one or more shims placed behind said cup race and adjacent to the front end of said pinion carrier;
• another cup race for a tapered roller bearing near the rear end of said pinion carrier;
• another tapered roller bearing, said other tapered roller bearing being in said cup race;
• a side cover for a first side of the ring gear;
• a race for holding a tapered roller bearing for the ring gear on the first side of the ring gear;
• a tapered roller bearing for the ring gear located in said race;
• one or more flat shims placed adjacent to said side cover behind said race;
• another side cover, said other side cover being for the side of the ring gear opposite to the first side of the ring gear;
• another race for holding a tapered roller bearing for the ring gear on the opposite side of the ring gear;
• another tapered roller bearing, said other tapered roller bearing being located in said other race;
• an oil pump driven by the pinion gear;
• and
• a means for conveying oil from said oil pump to the pinion gear and the ring gear;
• fasteners for connecting the differential section and the transmission section;
• other fasteners for connecting a gear cover to the transmission section;
• hollow dowels used with the fasteners and other fasteners;
• and
• steel thread inserts used with the fasteners and other fasteners;
• and wherein:
• the input shaft is constructed of billet 300M steel;
• the intermediate shaft is constructed of billet 300M steel;
• the forward drum is constructed of billet 300M steel;
• and
• the output shaft comprises:
• an upper output shaft attached to the planetary gears;
• an upper drop-down gear connected to said upper output shaft;
• and
• a lower drop-down gear rotated by said upper drop-down gear, said lower drop-down gear being attached to the pinion shaft;
• and the improved transaxle further comprising:
• a means for spraying oil on said upper drop-down gear and on said lower drop-down gear;
• and wherein:
• each mating spline on the forward drum adjacent to an empty position where a spline would otherwise have been is narrowed on a side adjacent to such empty position;
• and
• a bottom of a position on the forward drum that would have otherwise been occupied by a spline that has been eliminated is lowered.

An improved transaxle of the type having a differential section with a front, a transmission section, an input shaft with a surface and with a transmission end having splines with sides, a forward drum having mating splines with sides and being splined to the input shaft, a forward hub in the forward drum, an intermediate shaft splined to the forward hub, planetary gears connected to the intermediate shaft, an output shaft attached to the planetary gears, a pinion shaft attached to the output shaft, a pinion gear connected to the pinion shaft, and a ring gear powered by the pinion shaft with such ring hear having a first side and an opposite side, wherein the improvement comprises:

• the differential section having a space between the differential section and the input shaft;
• the transmission section having a space between the transmission section and the input shaft;
• the splines radiating outward from the transmission end of the input shaft beginning at the distance of the outer diameter of the remainder of the input shaft;
• at least one position for a mating spline on the forward drum being left without a mating spline;
• a bushing around the input shaft;
• a channel on a first side of the bushing;
• a tube connected to, and in fluid communication with, said channel;
• a cooler attached to, and in fluid communication with, said tube;
• another tube connected to, and in fluid communication with said cooler;
• another channel connected to, and in fluid communication with said other tube, proceeding near to the surface of the input shaft;
• a transmission fluid pump on the front of the differential section;
• a pinion carrier having a front end and a rear end;
• a cup race for a tapered roller bearing near the front end of said pinion carrier;
• a tapered roller bearing in said cup race;
• one or more shims placed behind said cup race and adjacent to the front end of said pinion carrier;
• another cup race for a tapered roller bearing near the rear end of said pinion carrier;
• another tapered roller bearing, said other tapered roller bearing being in said cup race;
• a side cover for a first side of the ring gear;
• a race for holding a tapered roller bearing for the ring gear on the first side of the ring gear;
• a tapered roller bearing for the ring gear located in said race;
• one or more flat shims placed adjacent to said side cover behind said race;
• another side cover, said other side cover being for the side of the ring gear opposite to the first side of the ring gear;
• another race for holding a tapered roller bearing for the ring gear on the opposite side of the ring gear;
• another tapered roller bearing, said other tapered roller bearing being located in said other race;
• an oil pump driven by the pinion gear;
• and
• a means for conveying oil from said oil pump to the pinion gear and the ring gear;
• fasteners for connecting the differential section and the transmission section;
• other fasteners for connecting a gear cover to the transmission section;
• hollow dowels used with the fasteners and other fasteners;
• and
• steel thread inserts used with the fasteners and other fasteners;
• and wherein:
• the input shaft is constructed of billet 300M steel;
• the intermediate shaft is constructed of billet 300M steel;
• the forward drum is constructed of billet 300M steel;
• and
• the output shaft comprises:
• an upper output shaft attached to the planetary gears;
• an upper drop-down gear connected to said upper output shaft;
• and
• a lower drop-down gear rotated by said upper drop-down gear, said lower drop-down gear being attached to the pinion shaft;
• and the improved transaxle further comprising:
• a means for spraying oil on said upper drop-down gear and on said lower drop-down gear;
• and wherein:
• each spline on the the transmission end of the input shaft adjacent to an empty position where a mating spline would otherwise have been is narrowed on a side adjacent to such empty position.

An improved transaxle of the type having a differential section with a front, a transmission section, an input shaft with a surface and with a transmission end having splines with sides, a forward drum having mating splines with sides and being splined to the input shaft, a forward hub in the forward drum, an intermediate shaft splined to the forward hub, planetary gears connected to the intermediate shaft, an output shaft attached to the planetary gears, a pinion shaft attached to the output shaft, a pinion gear connected to the pinion shaft, and a ring gear powered by the pinion shaft with such ring hear having a first side and an opposite side, wherein the improvement comprises:

• the differential section having a space between the differential section and the input shaft;
• the transmission section having a space between the transmission section and the input shaft;
• the splines radiating outward from the transmission end of the input shaft beginning at the distance of the outer diameter of the remainder of the input shaft;
• at least one position for a mating spline on the forward drum being left without a mating spline;
• and
• at least one position for a spline on the transmission end of the input shaft being left without a spline;
• a bushing around the input shaft;
• a channel on a first side of the bushing;
• a tube connected to, and in fluid communication with, said channel;
• a cooler attached to, and in fluid communication with, said tube;
• another tube connected to, and in fluid communication with said cooler;
• another channel connected to, and in fluid communication with said other tube, proceeding near to the surface of the input shaft;
• a transmission fluid pump on the front of the differential section;
• a pinion carrier having a front end and a rear end;
• a cup race for a tapered roller bearing near the front end of said pinion carrier;
• a tapered roller bearing in said cup race;
• one or more shims placed behind said cup race and adjacent to the front end of said pinion carrier;
• another cup race for a tapered roller bearing near the rear end of said pinion carrier;
• another tapered roller bearing, said other tapered roller bearing being in said cup race;
• a side cover for a first side of the ring gear;
• a race for holding a tapered roller bearing for the ring gear on the first side of the ring gear;
• a tapered roller bearing for the ring gear located in said race;
• one or more flat shims placed adjacent to said side cover behind said race;
• another side cover, said other side cover being for the side of the ring gear opposite to the first side of the ring gear;
• another race for holding a tapered roller bearing for the ring gear on the opposite side of the ring gear;
• another tapered roller bearing, said other tapered roller bearing being located in said other race;
• an oil pump driven by the pinion gear;
• and
• a means for conveying oil from said oil pump to the pinion gear and the ring gear;
• fasteners for connecting the differential section and the transmission section;
• other fasteners for connecting a gear cover to the transmission section;
• hollow dowels used with the fasteners and other fasteners;
• and
• steel thread inserts used with the fasteners and other fasteners;
• and wherein:
• the input shaft is constructed of billet 300M steel;
• the intermediate shaft is constructed of billet 300M steel;
• the forward drum is constructed of billet 300M steel;
• and
• the output shaft comprises:
• an upper output shaft attached to the planetary gears;
• an upper drop-down gear connected to said upper output shaft;
• and
• a lower drop-down gear rotated by said upper drop-down gear, said lower drop-down gear being attached to the pinion shaft;
• and the improved transaxle further comprising:
• a means for spraying oil on said upper drop-down gear and on said lower drop-down gear.