Vehicle wheel end assembly with double reduction gear set

A gear set for driving a vehicle wheel comprising:

• an input gear operably coupled to an input shaft for rotation about an input axis;
• a first reduction gear supported on an intermediate shaft and driven by said input gear about an intermediate axis;
• a second reduction gear operably coupled to said first reduction gear;
• and
• an output gear coupled to an output shaft for driving a vehicle wheel, said output gear driven by said second reduction gear about an output axis wherein said input axis is positioned at a first vertical distance from ground level, said intermediate axis is positioned at a second vertical distance from ground level, and said output axis is positioned at a third vertical distance from ground level with said second vertical distance being greater than said first vertical distance and said third vertical distance being greater than said second vertical distance.

A vehicle wheel end assembly comprising:

• an input shaft rotatable about an input axis;
• a gear assembly operably coupled to said input shaft and mounted within a gear housing, said gear assembly including an input gear operably coupled to said input shaft, a reduction gear set driven by said input gear, and an output gear driven by said reduction gear set;
• an output shaft driven by said output gear about an output axis;
• said reduction gear set including a first reduction gear in meshing engagement with said input gear and a second reduction gear in meshing engagement with said output gear wherein said reduction gear set rotates about an intermediate axis positioned between and parallel to said input and output axes and wherein said first and second reduction gears are mounted on an intermediate shaft for rotation about said intermediate axis with said first reduction gear being mounted on an outboard end of said intermediate shaft and said second reduction gear being mounted on an inboard end of said intermediate shaft;
• and
• a wheel hub operably coupled to said output shaft for driving a vehicle wheel about said output axis, wherein said input sear is positioned outboard from said output gear at a position between said wheel hub and said output gear and wherein said input axis is positioned at a first vertical distance from ground level, said intermediate axis is positioned at a second vertical distance from ground level, and said output axis is positioned at a third vertical distance from ground level, with said second vertical distance being greater than said first vertical distance and said third vertical distance being greater than said second vertical distance.

A vehicle wheel end assembly comprising:

• an input shaft rotatable about an input axis;
• a gear assembly operably coupled to said input shaft and mounted within a gear housing,
• said gear assembly including an input gear operably coupled to said input shaft, a reduction gear set driven by said input gear, and an output gear driven by said reduction gear set;
• an output shaft driven by said output gear about an output axis;
• said reduction gear set including a first reduclion gear in meshing engagement with said input gear and a second reduction gear in meshing engagement with said output gear, wherein said reduction gear set rotates about an intermediate axis positioned between and parallel to said input and output axes and wherein said first and second reduction gears are mounted on an intermediate shaft for rotation about said intermediate axis with said first reduction gear being mounted on an outboard end of said intermediate shaft and said second reduction gear being mounted on an inboard end of said intermediate shaft;
• a wheel hub operably coupled to said output shaft for driving a vehicle wheel about said output axis wherein said input gear is positioned outboard from said output gear at a position between said wheel hub and said output gear;
• and
• a first bearing set mounted directly between said gear housing and said output gear and a second bearing set mounted directly between said wheel hub and a bearing support mounted to said gear housing.

A gear set for driving vehicle wheels comprising:

• first and second wheel end assemblies interconnected by an axle housing;
• an input positioned closer to said first wheel end assembly than said second wheel end assembly;
• a first gear assembly mounted within a first gear housing for driving said first wheel end assembly;
• and
• a second gear assembly mounted within a second gear housing for driving said second wheel end assembly, said first and second gear assemblies being driven by said input and wherein each of said first and second gear assemblies includes an input shaft rotatable about an input axis, an input gear operably coupled to said input shaft, a reduction gear set driven by said input gear about an intermediate axis positioned parallel to said input axis, an output gear driven by said reduction gear set, and an output shaft driven by said output gear about an output axis, said output shaft being operably coupled to drive a wheel hub about said output axis wherein said input gear is positioned outboard from said output gear at a position between said wheel hub and said output gear.