Live spindle four wheel drive motor vehicle wheel end assembly

A live spindle four wheel drive motor vehicle wheel end assembly, comprising:

• a live spindle having an outwardly extending barrel capable of receiving a hub lock mechanism, said live spindle includes an outer surface and is supported for rotation in a mounting member by a bearing assembly including a first row of tapered bearings and a second row of tapered bearings wherein said first row of tapered bearings and said second row of tapered bearings are circumferentially spaced about the outer surface of said live spindle;
• said first row of tapered bearings and said second row of tapered bearings are positioned directly between an outer bearing race and said outer surface of said live spindle such that said live spindle acts as an inner bearing race for said first row of tapered bearings and said second row of tapered bearings of said bearing assembly;
• and
• said live spindle includes a first circumferential groove on said outer surface of said live spindle which acts as said inner bearing race for said first row of tapered roller bearings and said live spindle includes a second circumferential groove on said outer surface of said live spindle which acts as said inner bearings race for said second row of tapered roller bearings and the cross-sectional configuration of said first circumferential groove and said second circumferential groove formed on said outer surface of said live spindle each include a flat bottom portion and two upstanding wall portions which are substantially perpendicular to said bottom portion.