Compact differential assembly

A differential assembly for being rotatably supported around a longitudinal axis (A) and for being rotatingly driven inside a housing, comprising:

• a differential carrier which comprises a base at a first end and an aperture at a second end;
• two sideshaft gears arranged coaxially relative to the longitudinal axis (A), and a plurality of differential gears in the differential carrier, each engaging the two sideshaft gears;
• an outer bearing seat at the first end of the differential carrier on which the outer bearing seat a first rolling contact bearing is supported and an inner bearing seat at the second end of the differential carrier in which the inner seat a second rolling contact bearing is supported;
• wherein a first one of the two sideshaft gears is axially supported on the base of the differential carrier and wherein a second one of the two sideshaft gears is axially supported on an outer bearing race of the second rolling contact bearing;
• and
• wherein the second one of the two sideshafts is supported by the outer bearing race either directly.