Abstract: An improved axle may comprise three design features that, used individually or in combination, may drastically improve axle performance and decrease the likelihood of axle damage and/or deformation resulting from vehicle weight, jounce load, combined cornering load, and/or curb strike load. These three features are: dual opposed tapered roller bearings, increased shaft diameter at the bearings, and reinforced flange back face.

Abstract: An axle mounting system that includes a first axle bracket, an axle connected to the first axle bracket, a first wheel disposed on the axle, the first wheel defining a first contact region when in contact with a ground, a first upper bushing connected to the first axle bracket, and a first lower bushing connected to the first axle bracket. The first upper bushing and the first lower bushing are adapted to connect the first axle bracket to a chassis of a vehicle disposed on the ground. The first upper bushing is disposed apart from the first lower bushing, thereby forming a line that, in one embodiment, intersects the ground at or ahead of a first edge of the first contact region. In one contemplated embodiment, the line establishes an angle with the ground.