Perforated collapsible spacer

An automotive pinion assembly comprising:

• an axle housing;
• pinion nut;
• end yoke;
• pinion shaft with a pinion gear attached thereto;
• preloaded tail and head bearings;
• a perforated collapsible spacer comprising a steel sheet having two longitudinal edges joined in a form of a tube with at least two perforations formed in a buckle in a central portion thereof, the perforated collapsible spacer being disposed between and in physical contact with tail and head bearing cones;
• wherein the central portion is located within the axial middle 50% portion of the steel sheet and with maximum stiffness load, at 0.75 mm deflection, greater than 150 kilo-Newtons.

A method of assembling a perforated collapsible spacer in an automotive pinion assembly comprising:

• providing a steel sheet having two longitudinal edges;
• forming longitudinal perforations in a central portion of the steel sheet;
• joining together the longitudinal edges, thereby forming a perforated collapsible spacer that is tubular;
• providing an automotive pinion assembly comprising an axle housing, pinion nut, end yoke, pinion shaft with a pinion gear attached thereto, tail and head bearings, tail and head pinion cones, and tail and head bearing cups, wherein the perforated collapsible spacer is disposed about the pinion shaft and in physical contact with the tail and head pinion cones;
• wherein, when a pinion nut is tightened onto the pinion shaft, a buckle is formed in a central portion of the perforated collapsible spacer, thereby preloading the tail and head bearings.