Vehicle differential and method
AssigneeDana Corporation
InventorGregory T. DeWald
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An improved method and structure for setting pinion bearing preload and fastener clamp load in a vehicle differential is provided. The apparatus and method provide a preload spacer readily accessible outboard of the pinion bearings and input yoke. Pinion bearing preload is set according to the present invention by the force of the pinion gear on the inner cone of an inner bearing and the force of an input yoke on the outer cone of an outer bearing. As a nut is torqued into contact with the input yoke, a preload spacer limits the movement of the nut as the input yoke engages the outer cone. This provides for consistent preload on the bearings and allows for increased clamp load for retaining the nut.
Claims10
A differential, comprising:
- a housing;
- an inner bearing having an inner cup mounted within the housing and supporting an inner cone assembly;
- an outer bearing having an outer cup mounted within the housing and supporting an outer cone assembly;
- a pinion drive shaft having a shaft supported by the inner cone assembly and outer cone assembly, a pinion gear at a first end of the shaft in engagement with the inner cone assembly, and a shank extending from a shoulder at a second end of the shaft;
- an input yoke coupled to the second end of the shaft between the outer cone assembly and the shank and in engagement with the outer cone assembly;
- a nut disposed about the shank and in engagement with the input yoke;
- and
- a preload spacer disposed between the nut and the shoulder outboard of the outer bearing;
- and
- wherein the preload spacer limits the relative movement between the input yoke and pinion drive shaft, limiting the force of the input yoke on the outer cone assembly and the pinion gear on the inner cone assembly and allowing increased clamp load between the shank and nut.
A method of controlling pinion bearing preload in a differential, comprising:
- press fitting an inner cup and an outer cup within a housing;
- press fitting an inner cone assembly and an outer cone assembly about a shaft of a pinion drive shaft;
- supporting the inner cone assembly within the inner cup and the outer cone assembly within the outer cup with a pinion gear at a first end of the shaft in contact with the inner cone assembly and with a shank and shoulder at a second end of the shaft extending outboard of the outer cone assembly;
- press fitting a bearing seal retainer in the housing including a seal;
- coupling an input yoke to the second end of the pinion drive shaft between the outer cone assembly and the shank putting the input yoke in contact with the outer cone assembly;
- installing a preload spacer about the shank and against the shoulder of the shaft;
- and
- torquing a nut about the shank into engagement with the input yoke and the preload spacer to achieve the corresponding pinion bearing preload condition and continuing to apply torque until reaching the desired clamp load between the nut and shank.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.