초록 ▼

An axle for a heavy-duty vehicle extends transversely across the vehicle and includes a central portion. Each one of a pail of relatively short and lightweight axle spindles is connected to and extends outboardly from a respective end of the axle central portion. A wheel end assembly is rotatably mo

An axle for a heavy-duty vehicle extends transversely across the vehicle and includes a central portion. Each one of a pail of relatively short and lightweight axle spindles is connected to and extends outboardly from a respective end of the axle central portion. A wheel end assembly is rotatably mounted on each axle spindle. Each wheel end assembly includes spaced-apart inboard and outboard beatings that are immovably mounted on a respective axle spindle, and the bearings preferably ate standard heavy-duty vehicle stock-type bearings that have respective inner diameters that are generally the same size. The assembly optionally includes a bearing spacer having improved length tolerance. A relatively short and lightweight wheel hub is rotatably mounted on the bearings so that the wheel end assembly selectively accommodates a dual-wheel, standard-tire configuration and a single-wheel, wide-tire configuration, including a two-inch offset wheel.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. An axle spindle and a wheel end assembly combination for a heavy-duty vehicle, said heavy-duty vehicle including an axle having a central portion and a pair of said axle spindles, said axle central portion having a pair of ends and each one of said pair of axle spindles being

What is claimed is: 1. An axle spindle and a wheel end assembly combination for a heavy-duty vehicle, said heavy-duty vehicle including an axle having a central portion and a pair of said axle spindles, said axle central portion having a pair of ends and each one of said pair of axle spindles being connected to a respective one of said central portion ends, the heavy-duty vehicle further including a pair of said wheel end assemblies, each one of said pair of wheel end assemblies being rotatably mounted on a respective one of said axle spindles, each one of said axle spindle and wheel end assembly combination comprising: an inboard bearing immovably mounted on said axle spindle; an outboard bearing immovably mounted on said axle spindle outboardly of said inboard bearing and spaced apart from the inboard bearing, and said inboard and outboard bearings including respective inner diameters of generally the same size, wherein the ratio between the distance from the inboard surface of the inboard bearing to the outboard surface of the outboard bearing and the maximum outer diameter of said axle spindle at said inboard and outboard bearings is in a range of from about 1.15 to about 1.75; and a wheel hub rotatably mounted on said inboard and said outboard bearings, whereby said wheel end assembly selectively accommodates a dual-wheel, standard-tire configuration and a single-wheel, wide-tire configuration, including a wheel having a two-inch offset for said single-wheel, wide-tire configuration. 2. The axle spindle and wheel end assembly combination for a heavy-duty vehicle of claim 1, wherein said ratio is based upon a value of about 90 millimeters for said maximum outer diameter of said axle spindle at said inboard and outboard bearings. 3. The axle spindle and wheel end assembly combination for a heavy-duty vehicle of claim 1, in which the ratio between the distance from the inboard surface of said inboard bearing to the outboard surface of said outboard bearing and the maximum outer diameter of said axle spindle at said inboard and outboard bearings is in a range of from about 1.30 to about 1.60. 4. The axle spindle and wheel end assembly combination for a heavy-duty vehicle of claim 3, wherein said ratio is based upon a value of about 90 millimeters for said maximum outer diameter of said axle spindle at said inboard and outboard bearings. 5. The axle spindle and wheel end assembly combination for a heavy-duty vehicle of claim 3, in which the ratio between the distance from the inboard surface of said inboard bearing to the outboard surface of said outboard bearing and the maximum outer diameter of said axle spindle at said inboard and outboard bearings is in a range of from about 1.39 to about 1.50. 6. The axle spindle and wheel end assembly combination for a heavy-duty vehicle of claim 5, wherein said ratio is based upon a value of about 90 millimeters for said maximum outer diameter of said axle spindle at said inboard and outboard bearings. 7. The axle spindle and wheel end assembly combination for a heavy-duty vehicle of claim 1, in which the axial distance from the inboard surface of said inboard bearing to a wheel mounting face formed on said wheel hub is from about 1.20 inches to about 1.70 inches. 8. The axle spindle and wheel end assembly combination for a heavy-duty vehicle of claim 7, in which the axial distance from the inboard surface of said inboard bearing to a wheel mounting face formed on said wheel hub is about 1.55 inches. 9. The axle spindle and wheel end assembly combination for a heavy-duty vehicle of claim 1, in which a spacer is disposed between said inboard and said outboard bearings. 10. An axle spindle and a wheel end assembly combination for a heavy-duty vehicle, said heavy-duty vehicle including an axle having a central portion and a pair of said axle spindles, said axle central portion having a pair of ends and each one of said pair of axle spindles being connected to a respective one of said central portion ends, the heavy-duty vehicle further including a pair of said wheel end assemblies, each one of said pair of wheel end assemblies being rotatably mounted on a respective one of said axle spindles, each one of said axle spindle and wheel end assembly combination comprising: an inboard bearing immovably mounted on said axle spindle; an outboard bearing immovably mounted on said axle spindle outboardly of said inboard bearing; a bearing spacer disposed between said inboard and outboard bearings, said bearing spacer having an outer diameter and an axial length, wherein a ratio of said axial length to said outer diameter is in a range of from about 0.20 to about 0.75; and a wheel hub rotatably mounted on said inboard and said outboard bearings, whereby said wheel end assembly selectively accommodates a dual-wheel, standard-tire configuration and a single-wheel, wide-tire configuration, including a wheel having a two-inch offset for said single-wheel, wide-tire configuration. 11. The axle spindle and wheel end assembly combination for a heavy-duty vehicle of claim 10, in which said ratio of said bearing spacer axial length to said bearing spacer outer diameter is in a range of from about 0.30 to about 0.75. 12. The axle spindle and wheel end assembly combination for a heavy-duty vehicle of claim 11, in which said ratio of said bearing spacer axial length to said bearing spacer outer diameter is in a range of from about 0.45 to about 0.60. 13. The axle spindle and wheel end assembly combination for a heavy-duty vehicle of claim 10, in which said wheel hub is formed with a cavity having a first portion located radially outwardly of said bearing spacer and a second portion located radially inwardly of the bearing spacer, and the bearing spacer is formed with at least one opening for enabling lubricant to pass from said first cavity portion to said second cavity portion.