Supporting structure for output shaft of automotive automatic power

Abstract

A bearing structure for an output shaft of an automatic transaxle employs a ball bearing, radial needle bearing and a thrust needle bearing in combination. The ball bearing and the radial needle bearing radially support the output shaft. On the other hand, the thrusting load to be exerted on the output shaft when it is driven by an output torque of the engine is received by the thrust needle bearing, and relatively small thrusting torque in reverse direction is received by the ball bearing. The ball bearing is provided on a side cover which is fixed to a transaxle casing. The radial thrust bearing is radially supported by the inner periphery of an output retainer. The thrust needle bearing is oriented at the opposite side to the ball bearing with respect to the output gear. A generally cylindrical retainer body having an axial end mating with a wall section of a transmission casing has a cylindrical projection extending from the axial end adjacent an inner circumferential edge. The cylindrical projection engages with an annular positioning groove formed on the inner periphery of the transmission casing. Fastening bolts extend axially to engage the axial end portion of the retainer for retaining the retainer on the transmission casing. The retainer defines a fluid path for supplying working fluid for a clutch drum. The fluid path opens to the axial end of the retainer so as to be connected with a fluid path defined through the transmission casing.