US 4,881,842 A · Wheel bearing assembly

Abstract

A wheel bearing assembly comprises an outer bearing member which is secured to a steering knuckle, and a hollow spindle which is rotatably supported in a fixed longitudinal relationship in the outer bearing member by two rows of bearing balls. The hollow spindle has a splined bore which receives a splined stub shaft of a drive bell which is pulled through the splined bore by way of a pull groove in the free end of the stub shaft. A snap ring is assembled to the stub shaft to secure the hollow spindle on the stub shaft against the resistance of a deformed crush ring which is disposed between an inboard end of the hollow spindle and a shoulder of the drive bell. In an alternate embodiment the snap ring secures the hollow spindle on the stub shaft against the resistance of interengaging straight and helical spines of the hollow spindle and the stub shaft.

Claims6

Dependent claims

A wheel bearing assembly for a driven wheel of an automobile of the like comprising:

an outer bearing member which is adapted to be secured to support structure of an automobile or the like and which has outer raceway means,
an inner bearing member which is adapted for mounting a vehicle wheel and which has inner raceway means,
bearing balls which ride on the raceway means to rotatably support the inner bearing member in a fixed longitudinal relationship in the outer bearing member,
a drive member of a drive axle or the like, and
means for drivingly connecting the drive member to the inner bearing member in a lash free manner comprising
a splined bore of the inner bearing member, and
a stub shaft of the drive member which has an intermediate splined portion and a free end portion which has a pull groove for pulling the stub shaft through the splined bore of the inner bearing member.

4 more elements

A wheel bearing assembly for a driven wheel of an automobile or the like comprising:

an outer bearing member which is adapted to be secured to support structure of an automobile or the like and which has outer raceway means,
a hollow spindle which is adapted for mounting a vehicle wheel and which has inner raceway means,
bearing balls which ride on the raceway means to rotatably support the hollow spindle in a fixed longitudinal relationship in the outer bearing member,
a drive bell of a drive axle or the like, and
means for drivingly connecting the drive bell to the hollow spindle in a lash free manner including a splined bore of the hollow spindle and a integral stub shaft of the drive bell which has an intermediate splined portion and a free end portion which has a pull groove for pulling the stub shaft through the splined bore of the hollow spindle.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Wheel bearing assembly

Life of this patent

Wheel bearing assembly

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims6