Wheel assembly for a ground-driven work machine and method for assembling the same

A wheel and gear reduction assembly for use in a work machine, comprising:

• a rotatable wheel having an inboard and an outboard end;
• a reduction gear assembly;
• a generally cylindrical reduction gear adapter drivingly connected between said reduction gear assembly and the outboard end of said wheel, said adapter having an outside diameter;
• and
• an inboard and an outboard rim mounted to said wheel, each of said rims having a radially-inwardly projecting mounting flange fastened to said wheel, each of said mounting flanges having an inside diameter, the outside diameter of said reduction gear adapter being substantially equal to the inside diameter of the mounting flange of said inboard rim.

A wheel and gear reduction assembly for use in a work machine, comprising:

• a rotatable wheel having inboard and outboard ends;
• a reduction gear assembly;
• a generally cylindrical reduction gear adapter drivingly connected between said reduction gear assembly and the outboard end of said wheel for rotation therewith;
• an inboard rim mounted to said wheel for rotation therewith;
• a outboard rim mounting flange fastened to said wheel for rotation therewith at a location spaced from said inboard rim;
• and
• an outboard rim mounted to said outboard rim mounting flange;
• said outboard rim mounting flange being fastened to said wheel at a location inboard of said reduction gear adapter such that said reduction gear assembly is removable from said wheel without removal of said outboard rim mounting flange or said outboard rim from said wheel.