Axle assembly for a commercial vehicle and method for producing an axle assembly of this type

An axle assembly for a commercial vehicle, comprising an axle produced from a first metal material and at least one trailing link produced from a second metal material which has a connecting portion with a seat in which the axle sits with a hollow coupling portion such that the axle and the trailing link are in torque-proof engagement with one another, wherein

• at least one of the following conditions is met:
• a) the modulus of elasticity EL of the metal material from which the connecting portion of the trailing link is made, is lower than the modulus of elasticity EA of the metal material of the coupling portion, encompassed thereby, of the axle;
• b) the breaking strength Rm of the metal material of the connecting portion of the trailing link is greater than the breaking strength Rm of the metal material of the coupling portion of the axle;
• c) the yield strength ReS or, if the metal material does not have a clearly defined yield strength, the proof stress Rp0.2 of the metal material, from which the connecting portion of the trailing link is made, is higher than the yield strength ReS or proof stress Rp0.2 of the metal material of the coupling portion, encompassed thereby, of the axle and
• the trailing link is under an elastic stress at least in the region of its connecting portion as the result of a forming operation, while the axle is deformed in a permanently plastic manner at least in the region of its coupling portion encompassed by the trailing link by a widening procedure, such that the trailing link and the axle are in torque-proof engagement with one another merely by a frictional connection,
• wherein the trailing link is connected positively to the coupling portion of the axle, in that a moulded element of the axle cooperates positively with a correspondingly formed moulded element of the trailing link, and
• wherein a non-positive connection between the trailing link and the coupling portion of the axle is calculated, when new, such that when the axle assembly is used, a relative movement in the micrometer range arises between the axle and the trailing link, as a result of which abraded particles form which are trapped in a joining gap and further impede relative movement.