Abstract: An improvement in an axle assembly for off-road vehicles 10 having a swing arm 18 carrying left and right rear wheels 20 in which the assembly comprises an elongated shaft 22 centrally journaled in thread-lockable relation on the swing arm and having left and right hand end portions defining wheel mounting hubs 44 outboard of the swing arm in a manner subjecting the shaft portion 50 between the hubs and the swing arm to severe bending moments likely to cause cracking in shaft threaded portions 48, comprising thread-lockable shaft locking apparatus separable from the shaft, the locking apparatus including an internally threaded nut 62, an exteriorly threaded slide 60 nonrotatably keyed to the shaft, and shoulder device 68, 70 opposing the slide in blocking relation responsive to threaded adjustment of the nut on the slide to lock the shaft relative to the swing arm free of cracking-prone threading on the shaft.

Abstract: High performance rear axle assembly comprising a separable wheel-mounting flange and axle. The flange is fabricated of alloy steel highly resistant to bending stress, and the axle of a different alloy steel more highly resistant to torsional stress. The flange is splined onto the shaft and blocked against bending displacement by a cone interfitting the flange hub.