Abstract: A drive unit assembly. The drive unit includes a motor drivingly connected to a motor output shaft which in turn is drivingly connected to a sun gear of a gear assembly. The gear assembly further includes a gear assembly housing, one or more planetary gears and a pinion gear. At least a portion of the one or more planetary gears are drivingly connected to the sun gear, the gear assembly housing and a plurality of gear teeth circumferentially extending from an inner surface of a drive unit housing. The pinion gear has a first side and a second side, where the second side of the pinion gear is integrally connected to a first end portion of the gear assembly housing. Drivingly connected to the pinion gear is a differential ring gear of a differential assembly having a first side gear, a second side gear and one or more bevel gears.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to independently measure the bearing pre-load of a pinion gear and differential case an assembled axle assembly. The ring gear and pinion gear are positioned within a backlash so that there is no engagement therebetween. The pinion shaft and differential case are rotated independently in synchronization maintaining the relative positions and the torque to rotate the pinion shaft and differential case are independently measured.

Abstract: A differential carrier, adapted to rotatably support a differential assembly and a final drive assembly, includes an integrally formed cage-type differential carrier frame member comprising a pair of axially spaced pinion support members for rotatably supporting a pinion drive shaft, a pair of laterally spaced opposite differential support members for rotatably supporting a differential case, at least one first arm member interconnecting the pinion support members, and at least two second arm members each interconnecting at least one of the pinion support members with one of the differential support members to thereby define a cage-type space frame of the differential carrier. The differential carrier frame member further comprises a continuous flange member integrally secured to the differential support members and defining a rear access opening in the differential carrier, and a mounting member for mounting the differential carrier to a vehicle sprung mass.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to independently measure the bearing pre-load of a pinion gear and differential case an assembled axle assembly. The ring gear and pinion gear are positioned within a backlash so that there is no engagement therebetween. The pinion shaft and differential case are rotated in synchronization maintaining the relative positions and the torque to rotate the pinion shaft and differential case are independently measured. Once the independent pre-loads are measured, the ring gear is allowed to freely rotate being driven by the pinion gear and the overall torque to rotate the entire axle assembly can be measured.