Axle assembly

A carrier assembly comprising:

• a pinion rotatably mounted to a body;
• a crown wheel rotatably mounted to the body and in machine engagement with the pinion;
• a differential rotatably mounted to the body and in driving engagement with the crown wheel;
• a reservoir for retaining fluid remote from the crown wheel and being mounted to the body;
• a system for releasing fluid from the reservoir;
• a sensor for generating a signal and being mounted to the body;
• and
• a control system for receiving the signal and operating the system in response to the signal, wherein the control system is mounted on the carrier assembly.

A method of reworking an axle assembly comprising:

• providing the axle assembly that includes:
• a housing having a first axle tube and a second axle tube;
• a crown wheel mounted in the housing;
• a pinion in meshing engagement with the crown wheel;
• and
• a first reservoir for retaining fluid in contact with the crown wheel for lubricating the crown wheel;
• providing a second reservoir for retaining fluid remote from the crown wheel;
• providing a first system for transferring fluid in the first reservoir to the second reservoir;
• providing a second system for transferring fluid in the second reservoir to the first reservoir;
• providing a sensor for generating a signal representative of an axle assembly characteristic;
• providing a control system for receiving the signal and operating the first system to transfer fluid from the first reservoir in response to the signal or operating the second system to transfer fluid to the first reservoir in response to the signal;
• and
• attaching the second reservoir, first system, second system, sensor and control system to the axle assembly to provide a reworked axle assembly.