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| Illustration 1 | g00296338 |
Components of the Rear Axle (1) Left carrier. (2) Left sun gear and shaft. (3) Left planetary gears. (4) Left brake piston. (5) Flange. (6) Pinion gear. (7) Differential lock lever. (8) Right carrier. (9) Right planetary gears. (10) Right sun gear and shaft. (11) Right axle shaft. (12) Left axle shaft. (13) Left ring gear. (14) Left stationary brake plates. (15) Left friction discs. (16) Left side gear. (17) Differential ring gear. (18) Differential case. (19) Spider. (20) Pinions. (21) Right side gear. (22) Differential lock coupling and spring. (23) Right friction discs. (24) Right stationary brake plates. (25) Right brake piston. (26) Right ring gear. | |
Power from the transmission output shaft is transferred to the rear axle by the drive shaft and universal joints. The power enters the rear axle through the flange (5). The flange (5) is attached to the pinion gear (6). The pinion gear (6) rotates in the axle with two opposing tapered roller bearings. Power is transferred from the pinion gear (6) to the differential ring gear (17). The differential ring gear (17) is bolted to the differential case (18).
Power is transferred through the differential by the spider (19), the pinions (20), the left side gear (16), and the right side gear (21) to the final drives. Refer to Systems Operation, "Differential" for more information about the differential. The final drives consist of the following components: the carriers (1) and (8), the planetary gears (3) and (9), the ring gears (13) and (26) and the sun gears (2) and (10). Each final drive has the same components. The final drives cause the last speed reduction and the last torque increase in the drive train.
The right side gear (21) is splined to the right sun gear and shaft (10). The left side gear (16) is splined to the left sun gear and shaft (2). The left ring gear (13) is pressed and bolted in the axle housing. Three planetary gears (3) are mounted in the left carrier (1). The splines of the axle shaft (12) fit into the internal splines of the left carrier (1).
The left sun gear and shaft (12) is driven by the differential. The planetary gears (3) revolve around the inside of the left ring gear (13). The movement of the planetary gears (3) around ring gear (13) causes carrier (1) and axle shaft (12) to rotate. Power is transferred through the axle shaft to the wheel. The same operation occurs on the right side.
The rear axle contains the service brakes. The brake plates (14) and (24) are held in the axle housing by pins. The friction discs (15) and (23) are splined to the axle shafts (10) and (12). When the brakes are applied, the brake pistons (4) and (25) push the brake plates (14) and (24) against the friction discs (15) and (23). This causes friction. The friction causes the wheels to turn at a slower rate or to stop.
The axle also contains the differential lock. Refer to Systems Operation, "Differential Lock".