Spur Gear Final Drive with Integrated Brakes

A method of manufacturing an improved final drive gearbox comprises the steps of:

• a) forming a housing having first and second pairs of axially opposed openings, each pair of openings defining a first axis and a second axis, each axis parallel and radially spaced apart from the other;
• b) providing and installing bearings within said housing, each bearing symmetrically positioned along each axis at one of said openings and adapted to support a pair of parallel shafts, each shaft extending along one of said axes and between each pair of openings;
• c) installing an input gear on an input shaft, and inserting said input gear and input shaft through said first pair of openings;
• d) forming an output gear as a spur gear having annular axially opposed pockets on each side thereof;
• installing said output gear on an output shaft and inserting said output gear and output shaft through the opposed other of said one of said pair of openings in a manner such that said input and said output shafts are axially aligned along said first axis;
• e) forming a gear reduction system by forming first and second reduction gears, said first reduction gear also formed as a spur gear having annular axially opposed pockets on each side thereof;
• f) forming an idler shaft adapted to carry and support said first and second reduction gears;
• g) fixing said first and second reduction gears to said idler shaft;
• h) inserting said idler shaft along said second axis through said second pair of openings, such that said idler shaft is supported by respective bearings associated with said second pair of openings, and such that said input gear and said first reduction gear mesh with one another, wherein said second reduction gear and said output gear mesh with one another;
• and
• inserting at least two wet brake packs within said pockets, such that only one brake pack is contained within each one of said pockets.