Abstract: The present invention relates to a protective cap (20) for a grease nipple. The protective cap comprises a removable cap portion (22) with an internal cavity (23) that is shaped to fit over and enclose a nipple head of the grease nipple, and comprises an attachment portion (24) that is adapted to remain attached to the grease nipple when the cap portion is removed. According to the invention, the attachment portion (24) of the protective cap (20) comprises a plurality of through holes (26, 27, 28, 29) each of which has a unique diameter.

Abstract: An axle assembly that includes a housing assembly, a lubricant and a differential assembly. The housing assembly defines a differential cavity with a lubricant sump into which the liquid lubricant is received. The differential assembly is mounted in the differential cavity for rotation about a rotational axis and includes a differential case, a ring gear, a gear set and an oil shield. The differential case has a body, which defines a gear cavity into which the gear set is received, and a flange that is coupled to the body and includes a flange face. The ring gear is coupled to the flange. The oil shield is coupled for rotation to the differential case and covers a least a radially outward portion of the circumferentially discontinuous features so that they do not directly contact the liquid lubricant in the lubricant sump when the differential assembly rotates about the rotational axis.