Differential drive with lightweight differential carrier

A differential drive comprising:

• a drive housing in which a differential carrier (14) is rotatably supported around its longitudinal axis (A);
• pre-assembled modules each comprising a sideshaft gear (18, 19), an outer joint part (30, 31) of a constant velocity joint and a rolling contact bearing (12, 13), the module being insertable into the drive housing (11), wherein the sideshaft gears (18, 19) are supported so as to be rotatable around said longitudinal axis (A) relative to the differential carrier (14) and are directly connected to the outer joint parts (30, 31) of the constant velocity joints;
• and
• differential gears (22) which are supported in the differential carrier rotatably around axes (R) extending radially relative to the longitudinal axis (A), said differential gears (22) engaging the sideshaft gears (18, 19) and rotating together with the differential carrier (14),
• wherein the differential carrier (14) forms journals (16, 17) which extend co-axially relative to the longitudinal axis (A) and by means of which the differential carrier (14) is rotatably supported in the sideshaft gears (18, 19) and wherein the sideshaft gears (18, 19) are rotatably supported in the drive housing (11), and
• wherein the rolling contact bearings (12, 13) are angular contact rolling bearings, and wherein outer bearing races (12A, 13A) of the angular contact rolling bearings (12, 13) have an inner diameter greater than the outer diameter of the outer joint parts (30, 31), so as to be axially slipped over the outer joint parts (30, 31).