Dana Corporation

David G Moses

Mark Alan Davis

Dennis D Dauber

Michael Lee Zebolsky

Gregory A Richardson

Daryl J Stacer

Kent E Davison

Edward Eugene Stuart

James H Sheets

Paul R Pollock

Ted J Kaufman

Dick D Ryan

Anil K Bansal

Sean J Barber

A steer axle for a vehicle and a method of making the same involves forming portions of a steer axle to have a three sided design. Spring seats that wrap around two of the three sides are secured to the steer axle. Plates are secured to the spring seats. The plates extend over the third surface of the steer axle. Angled spring pads are located over the plates.

Steer axle and method of making the same

A combined tire inflation system and a wheel speed sensor for a vehicle steer axle has a steerable spindle with a substantially hollow interior portion. A shaft, located in the hollow interior portion, connects a rotatable hub cap adjacent the spindle and a sensor at least partially within the spindle. A magnet is secured to the shaft and rotates with the shaft. A sensor is mounted adjacent the magnet for sensing the rotation of the magnet. The shaft has a hollow interior that connects an air source with a tire associated with the hub cap.

Vehicle tire inflation system and sensor and method of use

An improved steering axle provides an improved interface between the steering knuckle kingpin and the axle. The axle includes distal ends, each formed into a boss with a central bore configured to receive the kingpin of a knuckle assembly. The boss has an improved structure that includes first and second axially extending and angularly spaced ribs each defining an axial portion having increased thickness. Each rib extends angularly from a location longitudinally outboard of the bore axis to a location longitudinally inboard of the bore axis. The boss provides increased rigidity in the area surrounding the kingpin, thereby improving retention of the kingpin and preventing motion between the kingpin and the boss.

Steer axle with kingpin boss

A tie rod end having a purgative zerk for removal of used lubricants is provided. In one embodiment of the invention, the tie rod end includes a socket member that defines a first bore in which a ball stud member is disposed and a second bore in communication with the first bore. The purgative zerk is disposed in the second bore. In a second embodiment of the invention, the purgative zerk is disposed in a plug used to close one end of the first bore. The use and location of the purgative zerk enable purge holes to be eliminated from a boot seal disposed at one end of the first bore thereby reducing contamination of the tie rod end.

Tie rod end with purgative grease zerk and purgeless tie rod boot

A steer axle assembly is provided. The assembly includes an axle beam that defines a boss at one end. The boss defines one bore configured to receive a kingpin. The boss further defines two additional bores that intersect the kingpin bore and that are configured to receive draw keys used to secure the kingpin within the kingpin bore. The draw keys are both disposed on an inboard side of the kingpin. The assembly further includes nuts disposed about one end of the draw keys on the same side of the axle beam. The inboard location of the draw keys and the same-side location of the nuts reduces assembly time for the steer axle assembly and securely locks the kingpin within the bore.

Dual draw key arrangement for steer axle kingpin

A pivotal ball joint assembly includes a ball joint, an input/output member, and a sealing element to provide a sealing surface abutting the boot seal and to prevent contamination of the boot seal during movement and articulation of the input/output member relative to the ball joint. The ball joint has a socket body and a ball stud pivotally mounted to the socket body. The ball stud has a shank portion that extends therefrom and is aligned along a shank axis. An elastic boot seal that extends between the ball stud and socket body is also included. The pivotal ball joint assembly also includes an input/output member affixed to the ball stud shank portion so that the socket body is able to freely rotate relative to the input/output shaft about the shank axis. The pivotal ball joint assembly is further rotatable through a limited range about a transverse axis perpendicular to the shank axis. The seal element is interposed between the boot seal, the shank portion and the input/output member to enhance the boot seal interface and thereby guard the boot seal to shank portion interface against contamination during movement and articulation of the input/output member relative to the ball joint.

Unitized boot seal for ball joints

A method for manufacturing a non-driving, rigid axle beam for use in a vehicle frame and suspension system includes the initial step of providing a tubular blank. The tubular blank is disposed within a die having cooperating die sections that define a cavity having a shape that corresponds with the desired shape of the non-driving axle beam. Next, pressurized fluid is provided within the tubular blank so as to deform the tubular blank into conformance with the die cavity. A steering knuckle can be pivotably connected to each end of the non-driving axle beam by securing a hollow cylindrical support to each end of the non-driving axle beam and pivotably connecting a steering knuckle to each end of the hollow cylindrical supports. The non-driving axle beam can be formed having any desired cross sectional shape, including circular, triangular, I-shaped, and oval.

Method of hydroforming a front axle beam

A wheel mount for a wheel comprises a spindle, a hub for surrounding the spindle and a bearing assembly interposed between the spindle and the hub. The spindle extends from an end of an axle of a vehicle and has a generally decreasing diameter from its proximal end to its distal end. The spindle is provided with a pair of lands near the ends of the spindle for receiving bearings, and has bearing retainers near the respective ends also, the distal retainer being removably attached. These inboard and outboard bearing retainers define an axial bearing space. The hub has a central aperture with an inboard land and an outboard land provided on an internal surface of the central aperture, also for receiving bearings. The bearing assembly comprises an inboard bearing and an outboard bearing in spaced apart relationship within the axial bearing space. The inboard bearing has an internal diameter larger than the internal diameter of the outboard bearing. The bearing assembly further has a conical shim placed in frictional fit between the cone portions of the inboard and outboard bearings and holding the respective bearings in the spaced apart relationship.

Wheel end assembly

A bracket for fastening an axle housing to a suspension beam of a vehicle comprises a base with a pair of upwardly extending opposing walls. The base is configured to be secured to the lower portion of the axle housing and is provided with apertures for receiving fasteners attached to the suspension beam. Each of the opposing walls is configured such that they frictionally engage the lower channel portion of the lateral walls of the axle housing. Each opposing wall also has a upper surface suitable for welding to the lateral wall of the axle housing near the channel seam weld and an aperture through the wall for welding the wall to the fractionally engaged lateral wall. The top surface of each opposing wall is rounded off at each end to facilitate placement of a weld that extends down onto the lower portion of the axle housing. The welding aperture on each wall is preferably an elongate slot, especially one where the elongate dimension of the slot is parallel to the top surface and has rounded ends.

Axle bracket providing improved support

A mounting assembly for securing an axle housing to the suspension system of a vehicle frame includes an upper bracket and a lower bracket which partially enclose an axle housing. The upper bracket and the lower bracket are clamped together and have engageable contacting surfaces to provide vertical and torque support for the axle housing walls. Rubber couplings are disposed between the axle housing and the brackets to prevent wearing of the metal surfaces.

Growing community of inventors

Kalamazoo, MI, United States of America

David G Moses