Rear Axle Bearing

Rear Axle Bearing

Axle: Keeping the Wheels on the Ground

Axles are the spine of a car’s drive train. They hold the wheels together and, since wheels prop the car up from the ground, bear the full weight of the vehicle. Early axle designs use a single steel shaft to link up the left and right wheels. In this setup, the axle maintains the position of the two wheels relative to one another. As torque flows to the car’s drive train and turns the wheels, the axle keeps tight rein of both wheels and keeps the car from swaggering. A single shaft axle is known to resist a considerable amount of car chassis stress and has high weight capacity. It is commonly used on heavy duty vehicles like trucks and wagons that are usually used to load heavy cargo.

A single shaft axle, however, has its own limitations. Linking up the left and right wheels means that both are going to share one suspension assembly and drive train. When two wheels have a same drive train, both of them turn at the same rate. At cruise speed the limitation of a single shaft axle is tolerable. But, when cornering, the left and right wheels follow different arcs, the one inside the curve smaller than the other. In the event that a car corners and both wheels are rotating at the same rate, the car’s traction on the ground is compromised.

As luxury cars and street sedans have shown, there is more to axle design than its structural features. Marquee brands like the Mercedes-Benz have wheels connected to the car chassis with a split axle. Split axle is basically a reinforced half shaft, usually via enclosing the shaft in a billet, or combining two axles, called tandem axles. Because wheels are supported individually, wheel rotation is determined individually for each of them. This will then result to improved traction when cornering. As an offshoot to the non-inclusion of the single shaft axle in the Mercedes-Benz drive train, the wheels are equipped with an individual suspension setting. Because roads are hardly uniform, wheels with the suspension setting lumped up usually means enduring a bumpy ride. With an individual suspension, each side of the Mercedes-Benz negotiates bumps independently from the rest of the drive train.

Aside from traction and suspension improvement, there are also specialized Mercedes axles that boasts of a capacity to enhance other parts of the drive train like the brake and steering assemblies. Drive axles, commonly known as transaxles, serve as front axle and enhances the Mercedes-Benz steering. Composed of two half axles, transaxles are split axles fitted with differential and universal joints. One of the joints in each of the half axle is a flexible coupling called constant velocity joint, which provides a pivot point for the axle when the car corners. In a rear-wheel drive Mercedes-Benz, a driveshaft to facilitate torque transfer from the engine to the wheels can also be fitted.

As an addition to its use on transmission and steering, the axle can also be incorporated on a Mercedes-Benz brake system that uses engine braking, although this supplemental braking is only needed and used on big vehicles such as sports utility vehicles and limousines. Engine braking utilizes the compression stroke in the combustion process to retard engine speed. When the flywheel compresses the air and fuel mixture in the cylinder heads, one byproduct is heat. This heat, when combustion takes place, is ejected out of the engine and exhausted from the vehicle. When engine slows down, the axle can flow less torque, meaning less rotational force to run the wheels.

About the Author

Dwyane Thomas is a part time cook and full-time auto-enthusiast. This 31-year old Civil and Environmental graduate is a consultant at one of the engineering firms in Pennsylvania.

Axle Bearing Kit $54.99 Axle Bearing Kit; Incl. 2 Rear Axle Bearings; Ball Bearings;

Rear Axle Bearing $13.95 Parts Unlimited Rear Axle Bearing Durable, double rubber-sealed wheel bearings give added protection against mud and dirt. You can trust the quality and durability of Parts Unlimited Rear Axle Bearings on those long trips up in the hills or out on the dunes. *Note: Image may vary from actual product.

OTC Rear Axle Bearing Puller. Each $43.47 Manufacturer: OTC. Each. Features and Benefits: Fits minimum bearing tube I.D. of 1" and maximum axle tube I.D. of 1-7/8" Customers also search for: Discount OTC Rear Axle Bearing Puller, Buy OTC Rear Axle Bearing Puller, Wholesale OTC Rear Axle Bearing

Axle Shaft Bearing Retainer Ring $10.99 Axle Shaft Bearing Retainer Ring; Front Or Rear; Left Or Right;

Axle Shaft Bearing by Omix-Ada $38.99 Axle shaft bearing. Front or rear. Left or right.Dana 44

Rear Axle Bearing Puller Kit $41.95 ? Three pullers designed to make the removal of semi-floating rear axle bearings easier on most domestic cars. ? Includes: 1 in. x 1-7/8 in. Puller, 1-5/16 in. x 2-2/8 in. Puller, 1-3/8 in. x 2-7/8 in. Puller. ? Packaged in a blow molded case with laminated instruction cards or stickers integrated into case design for handy reference of application information. ? Removeable hinged style lid allows for convenient storage in tool box drawers. ? Individual part numbers molded into case for easy reference. Applications: 1 in. x 1-7/8 in. Puller - fits minimum bearing tube I.D. of 1 in. and maximum axle tube I.D. of 1-7/8 in. 1-5/16 in. x 2-3/8 in. Puller - fits minimum bearing tube I.D. of 1-5/16 in. and maximum axle tube I.D. of 2-3/8 in. 1-3/8 in. x 2-7/8 in. Puller - fits minimum bearing tube I.D. of 1-3/8 in. and maximum axle tube I.D. of 2-7/8 in. By K-D Tools.

OTC 6540 Rear Axle Bearing Puller Set $213.58 OTC rear axle bearing service sets are designed to remove axle bearings from rear semifloating differentials. The kits work with any 5/818 in. threaded slide hammers. Small puller that fits 1 in. to 1 7/8 in. bearing tubes Medium puller that fits 1 5/16 in. to 2 3/8 in. bearing tubes Large puller that fits 1 3/8 in. to 2 7/8 in. bearing tubes Storage case

Dana 35 Rear Axle Bearing Lock Ring by Crown Automotive $12.99 2002 Jeep KJ Liberty;With Dana rear 35;194 mm RBI axle Dana 35 Rear Axle Bearing Lock Ring by Crown Automotive

CTA Rear Axle Bearing Service Set $79.95 For removing semi-floating rear axle bearings 3 sizes service most vehicles Use with 5/8?-18 UNF thread slide hammers Fits minimum bearing tube I.D.?s from 1?- 1-3/8? (25mm - 35mm) and maximum axle tube I.D.?s from 1-7/8? - 2-7/8? (48mm - 73mm)

CTA Rear Axle Service Kit $118.95 For rear axle and bearing removal.     Includes: Slide hammer assembly Rear axle puller plate 3 Sizes of rear axle bearing pullers Puller hook for removing oil seals and bearings

M20 One-Piece Rear Axle Bearing Kit by Crown Automotive $49.99 1976-83 CJ5-CJ7-8;With Crown 1-Piece rear axle shafts;For one side only;Includes:Bearing, Seal, Spacer, and Bolts M20 One-Piece Rear Axle Bearing Kit by Crown Automotive

OTC OTC6540 8 Piece Rear Axle Bearing Puller Set $282.5 Features and Benefits:. Rear axle bearing puller fits min. bearing tube I.D. of 1 and max axle tube I.D. of 17/8 . Rear axle bearing puller fits min. bearing tube I.D. of 15/16 and max axle tube I.D. of 23/8 . Rear axle bearing puller fits min. tube I.D. of 13/8 and max axle tube I.D. of 27/8 . Slide hammer tee bar. Slide hammer weight: 5 lbs . Pulling hook . Rear axle pulling plate . Bearing cup removerThis 8 piece set contains slide hammer and popular attachments needed for servicing flange type floating rear axle bearing and seals in most late model rear wheel drive cars and light trucks. Also included is a molded case for storage.

Cluster/Axle Bearing by Crown Automotive $14.99 All Jeeps with T4 or T5 transmission;1987-05 Wrangler with Model 35 rear axle;1990-01 XJ Cherokee with Model 35 rear axle;1990-92 MJ Comanche with Model 35 rear axle;1993-98 ZJ Grand Cherokee with Model 35 or Model 44 rear axle

M20 Axle Bearing and Seal Kit by Crown Automotive $24.99 1976-86 CJ;Model 20 rear axle

Jeep Axle Shaft Bearing by Omix-Ada 16560.37 $38.99 1986 Jeep CJ;Dana 44;Rear flanged axle;Bearing and cup JEEP CJ7 1986 2.5L (150) 4.2L (258) GAS Jeep Axle Shaft Bearing by Omix-Ada 16560.37

Jeep Axle Shaft Bearing Retainer Ring 16560.38 $10.99 1986 Jeep CJ;Dana 44;Rear flanged axle;2007 JK Wrangler;Dana 35;Rear flanged axle;Bearing lock ring JEEP CJ7 1986 2.5L (150) 4.2L (258) GAS Jeep Axle Shaft Bearing Retainer Ring 16560.38

Rear Axle Bearing Puller Set by OTC $89.95 Each of the pullers included in this set make short work removing semi-floating rear axle bearings. The 3-piece set services most domestic cars. Works with OTC puller-type slide hammers. Weight: 2 lbs. 3 oz. in plastic carrying case. By OTC. Included sizes (Fit main bearing tube I.D.) 1'' to 1-7/8'', 1-5/16''-2-3/8'', 1-3/8''-2-7/8''

Rear Axle Gear $17.85 Rear Axle Gear for 50cc 2-stroke 1DE41QMB engines. Overall length 6-1/2" 165 mm 12 splines 25 mm bearing ID on underside of gear 15 mm

Axle Shaft Bearing by Crown Automotive $47.99 1993-04 Grand Cherokee Dana 44 rear.2002 KJ Liberty Dana 35.Fits rear axle only

Axle Bearing by Omix-Ada $48.99 1996-04 Grand Cherokee.Dana 44 rear

Wheel Bearing $46.99 Wheel Bearing; Rear; For Use w/Late Spicer Axle; RWD;

Axle Bearing Retainer $3.99 Axle Bearing Retainer;