Differential assembly with synchronizing preload

A four-wheel drive assembly comprising:

• a transmission for driving said four-wheel drive assembly;
• a transfer case for selectively transferring driving torque from said transmission to a front axle assembly and continuously transferring driving torque to a rear axle assembly;
• said rear axle assembly including;
• a rear differential;
• a rear drive shaft disposed between said transfer case and said rear differential;
• said front axle assembly including;
• a front differential assembly
• a front drive shaft disposed between said transfer case and said front differential assembly for selectively delivering driving torque thereto;
• said front differential assembly including
• a gear assembly rotatably disposed within a differential case to provide differential torque transfer between a pair of output shafts, said gear assembly including a pair of side gears mounted rotatably about an axis of rotation, said side gears each fixed to a corresponding one of said output shafts, said output shafts being connected to a pair of steerable wheels through a wheel end hub-lock to facilitate selectable connection there between;
• and
• a beveled thrust washer disposed between each of said side gears and said differential case to thereby induce a preload between said side gears and said differential case said preload being greater than a difference in drag forces acting on said output shafts such that when said differential case is rotated when said wheel end hub locks are disconnected, said output shafts rotate at substantially equal speed.

A combination differential axle assembly with a steerable wheel end assembly, said combination comprising:

• a differential case;
• a gear assembly rotatably disposed within said differential case to provide differential torque transfer to a pair of output shafts, said gear assembly including a pair of side gears mounted rotatably about said axis of rotation and fixed to a corresponding one of said output shafts;
• a beveled thrust washer disposed directly between each of said side gears and said differential case provided to induce a preload between said side gears and said differential case;
• a pair of steerable wheel ends selectively connected to a corresponding one of said output shafts trough a pair of hub-locks to selectively establish a driving connection there between;
• wherein when said output shafts are disconnected from said steerable wheel ends said output shafts rotate at substantially equal speed when said differential case is rotated.