U-joint arrangement and method of attaching a propeller shaft to a pinion flange

A U-joint arrangement comprising:

• a propeller shaft having a weld yoke having a first pair of full-round receivers;
• a U-joint including a cross member, a first pair of bearing cups rotatably mounted to the cross member and disposed opposite one another, and a second pair of bearing cups rotatably mounted to the cross member and disposed opposite one another, the first pair of bearing cups rotatably engaging the first pair of full-round receivers, each bearing cup of the first pair of bearing cups and of the second pair of bearing cups having a cylindrical configuration and a circular cross section,
• a pinion flange having a second pair of full-round receivers each having an inner diameter that is substantially larger than an outer diameter of the second pair of bearing cups, the pinion flange being arranged with respect to the U-joint such that the second pair of bearing cups are disposed within the second pair of full-round receivers;
• and
• a pair of retaining members having a substantially cylindrical configuration and a substantially circular cross section, each retaining member of the pair of retaining members having an outer diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of the second pair of full-round receivers and an inner diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of the second pair of bearing cups, the pair of retaining members engaging an axial end and a circular periphery of each bearing cup of the second pair of bearing cups and further engaging the second pair of full-round receivers whereby the pair of retaining members support the second pair of bearing cups within the second pair of full-round receivers.

A method for attaching a propeller shaft to a pinion flange using a U-joint arrangement, at least one of the propeller shaft and the pinion flange having a pair of full-round receivers, the method comprising:

• providing a U-joint and a pair of retaining members, the U-joint including a cross member and a plurality of bearing cups rotatably mounted to the cross member, a pair of bearing cups of the plurality of bearing cups having an outer diameter that is substantially less than an inner diameter of the pair of full-round receivers, each retaining member of the pair of retaining members configured to engage an axial end and a circular periphery of a corresponding bearing cup of the pair of bearing cups, the pair of retaining members further configured to engage the pair of full-round receivers, and to support the pair of bearing cups within the pair of full-round receives;
• positioning the U-joint such that the pair of bearing cups are disposed within the pair of full-round receivers;
• and
• engaging the axial end and the circular periphery of each bearing cup of the pair of bearing cups and the pair of full-round receivers with the pair of retaining members such that the pair of retaining members supports the pair of bearing cups within the pair of full-round receivers.