Abstract: A brake mechanism for braking an axle shaft rotatably supported within an axle housing. A pair of arcuate brake pads are pivotally pinned within the axle housing such that each of the arcuate brake pads can pivot from an brake position engaging the axle shaft and a free position allowing the axle shaft to rotate freely. The arcuate brake pads are spring biased to the free position allowing axle rotation. A simply pulley system is arranged within the axle housing to allow remote actuation of the arcuate brake pads forcing the brake pads into the brake position to frictionally engage the axle shaft thereby providing a braking force. The axle shaft may be splined to engage a corresponding reverse spline profile formed on the inner surface of the arcuate brake pads to provide a positive braking force to lock the shaft preventing rotation. The brake arrangement is preferably employed to brake an input shaft in a differential assembly or in any drive shaft of a transfer case.

Abstract: A novel arrangement of a steering axle for a land vehicle having a hydrostatic drive system, wherein a hydraulic motor assembly is directly mounted on a steerable wheel of the axle and adapted to be movable with the wheel, is disclosed. The steering axle comprises a pair of kingpin assemblies pivotally mounting steering knuckles to axle yokes. An upper kingpin assembly pivotally attaches the steering knuckle to the axle yoke, and, at the same time, provides a hydraulic swivel coupling between the wheel mounted hydraulic motor and the rest of the hydrostatic drive system of mounted on the vehicle, that prevents the bending of the hydraulic hoses conveying hydraulic fluid, by steering movements of the front steerable wheels.

Abstract: An axle disconnect assembly for a vehicle having an input shaft and a coaxially arranged output shaft. A collar is splined to one of the shafts and is slidable to selectively engage the other shaft to establish a positive driving connection between the input and output shafts. A movable piston engages the collar to selectively position the collar. A valve is in communication with the vehicle's existing oil pump and is controlled to selectively supply pressurized oil to opposite sides of the piston to selectively displace the piston thereby selectively controlling the position of the collar and the connection between the shafts.

Abstract: A limited slip differential assembly comprising a differential case and two side gears rotatably supported within the differential case. Each of the side gears provided with a pre-loaded clutch pack mounted on a hub portion of the side gear. In one embodiment, a lock ring is permanently pressed on the hub portion of the side gear adjacent a collar and the clutch pack for retaining the clutch pack in a predetermined pre-loaded condition. In a second embodiment, an adjustment collar is threaded onto the side gear and a thrust washer having a selected thickness maintains the pre-load condition. In both embodiment, a side gear/clutch pack assembly may be pre-assembled as a pre-loaded self-contained module before the various components of the differential assembly are assembled in the differential case.