The Budd Company

Robert Bosch Technologies Corporation

Stanley J Kulczycki

Alastair R Deane

Monte J Visser

P William McCay

Vincent Mastrangelo

A wheel end hub assembly for a motor vehicle incorporating mechanical retention features. The assembly accurately and positively orients the motor vehicle brake component, such as a disc brake rotor or brake drum with respect to its wheel hub. Accordingly, the machining operations for the brake component braking surfaces can be accurately based from a datum surface of the hub. The assembly incorporates a retention nut threaded onto the wheel mounting bolts which exerts a clamping force on the brake component and further establishes the relative positions of the hub and brake component. The retention nut features a generally conical surface which contacts a generally conical surface of the brake component to establish the radial and rotational relative position of these components.

Vehicle brake and hub attachment system and method

An inboard bearing retainer for use in a vehicle wheel assembly having a live spindle. The inboard bearing retainer includes a retaining nut adapted to be engaged to an outer diameter of the inboard end of the live spindle. The nut including a flange which provides inboard retention and restrains inboard movement of the wheel bearing relative to the live spindle. The nut also includes a surface which at least partially defines the bearing seat for the wheel bearing. The retaining nut is engaged by a locking assembly mounted to the spindle's inboard end so as to prevent disengagement of the retainer nut from the spindle. In one embodiment, the locking assembly is a one-piece body having a bearing portion, a thrust washer portion and locking tabs which interferingly prevent disengagement of the retainer nut from the live spindle.

Live spindle hub with inboard bearing retention

A composite brake disc and drum assembly for a motor vehicle having a rear disc brake system and a parking brake system. The assembly includes a body of a first material having a mounting web, a skirt and a flange. The skirt extends from the perimeter of the mounting web and cooperates therewith to define a brake drum. The skirt has an inside surface which defines a cylindrical braking friction surface for engagement with the parking brake shoe. The flange extends outward from the skirt and at least one annular plate is supported by the flange so as to extend in a plane generally perpendicular to the axis of rotation. The plate includes a surface defining an annular braking friction surface for engagement with the disc brake pads.

Composite rear brake disc and drum

An inboard bearing retainer for use in a vehicle wheel assembly having a live spindle. The inboard bearing retainer includes a retaining nut adapted to be engaged an outer diameter of the inboard end of the live spindle. The nut including a flange which provides inboard retention and restrains inboard movement of the wheel bearing relative to the live spindle. The nut also includes a surface which at least partially defines the bearing seat for the wheel bearing. The retaining nut is engaged by a locking assembly mounted to the spindle's inboard end so as to prevent disengagement of the retainer nut from the spindle. In one embodiment, the locking assembly is a one-piece body having a bearing portion, a thrust washer portion and locking tabs which interferingly prevent disengagement of the retainer nut from the live spindle.

A wheel hub assembly for a non-driven axle including a hub, a bearing retainer ring and a bearing. The bearing retainer ring is secured to the hub by engagement of the wheel mounting studs with the hub. A portion of the bearing retainer ring directly engages and positively provides an axial retention load on the bearing. The resulting structure is a compact and light weight wheel hub assembly having simplified, cost efficient construction.

Growing community of inventors

Sterling Heights, MI, United States of America

Stanley J Kulczycki