Abstract: A vehicle having at least one rear driven axle. The vehicle includes a transmission, a main drive shaft, and a rear axle assembly. The rear axle assembly can selectively transmit power from the transmission to a rearmost set of wheels of the vehicle. To selectively transmit power, the rear axle assembly can include a rear axle input shaft, a neutralizer, a differential input shaft, and a differential. The neutralizer is used to mechanically connect and disconnect the rear axle input shaft from the differential input shaft.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a retained member configured to prevent centrifugal force from disassociating a retaining ring provided with lugs from a groove located on a rotatable shaft when securing the retained member to the rotatable shaft and rotating with the shaft. The retained member includes a substantially annular portion and a retention lip provided with a cutout portion. The substantially annular portion defines an opening sized to receive the rotatable shaft so that the retained member is rotatable with the shaft. The cutout portion is configured to accommodate the lugs when in an installing position as the retained member is snap fit into the groove.

Abstract: A vehicle having at least one rear driven axle. The vehicle includes a transmission, a main drive shaft, and a rear axle assembly. The rear axle assembly can selectively transmit power from the transmission to a rearmost set of wheels of the vehicle. To selectively transmit power, the rear axle assembly can include a rear axle input shaft, a neutralizer, a differential input shaft, and a differential. The neutralizer is used to mechanically connect and disconnect the rear axle input shaft from the differential input shaft.

Abstract: A transmission with a countershaft brake includes a countershaft, a positive displacement pump including a pump housing having a chamber with an inlet and an outlet, the pump being driven by the countershaft, and a flow restrictor disposed at or downstream of the chamber outlet, the flow restrictor being adjustable to increase and decrease an amount of flow restriction from, the outlet of the chamber. Torque needed to drive the pump increases with an increasing flow restriction by the flow restrictor. A method for braking a countershaft in a transmission is also provided.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a retained member configured to prevent centrifugal force from disassociating a retaining ring provided with lugs from a groove located on a rotatable shaft when securing the retained member to the rotatable shaft and rotating with the shaft. The retained member includes a substantially annular portion and a retention lip provided with a cutout portion. The substantially annular portion defines an opening sized to receive the rotatable shaft so that the retained member is rotatable with the shaft. The cutout portion is configured to accommodate the lugs when in an installing position as the retained member is snap fit into the groove.

Abstract: A multi clutch transmission includes a first clutch plate mounted on a first input shaft, a second clutch plate mounted on a second input shaft arranged concentrically around the first input shaft, a third clutch plate mounted on a third input shaft arranged concentrically around the second input shaft, and a clutch housing comprising a plurality of reaction plates, the first, second, and third clutch plates being individually and selectively engageable and disengageable with reaction plates in the clutch housing. A multi clutch transmission can also include at least three countershafts arranged around the input shafts.

Abstract: A tandem axle vehicle includes a powertrain. The powertrain includes an input shaft, a forward drive axle assembly including a forward carrier assembly including a forward differential, and a rear drive axle assembly coupled to the forward drive axle assembly via a connecting driveshaft and including a rear carrier assembly including a rear differential. The forward carrier assembly includes an inter-axle differential (IAD), the IAD including an IAD housing, a differential spider including a plurality of legs attached to the IAD housing and a plurality of spider gears mounted on the legs, a first side gear engaged with the spider gears on a first side of the spider and arranged to drive a shaft for driving the driveshaft, and a second side gear engaged with the spider gears on a second side of the spider and arranged to drive the forward differential.

Abstract: A transmission capable of triple overdrive includes a main box section connected to a first input shaft. The main box section comprises clutch collars which are connected to the main shaft and axially movable by an operator to selectively couple one main shaft gear to a main shaft via a countershaft gear fixed on a countershaft. An auxiliary section is connected to the main box section and contains a splitter section and a range section. An output shaft is connected to the auxiliary section The transmission is selectively configured Io operate in a plurality of gear combinations. At least three of the gear combinations are configured for overdrive. The main box section is connected directly to the splitter section.

Abstract: A tandem axle vehicle includes a powertrain. The powertrain includes an input shaft, a forward drive axle assembly including a forward carrier assembly including a forward differential, and a rear drive axle assembly coupled to the forward drive axle assembly via a connecting driveshaft and including a rear carrier assembly including a rear differential. The forward carrier assembly includes an inter-axle differential (IAD), the IAD including an IAD housing, a differential spider including a plurality of legs attached to the IAD housing and a plurality of spider gears mounted on the legs, a first side gear engaged with the spider gears on a first side of the spider and arranged to drive a shaft for driving the driveshaft, and a second side gear engaged with the spider gears on a second side of the spider and arranged to drive the forward differential.

Abstract: A transmission with a countershaft brake includes a countershaft, a positive displacement pump including a pump housing having a chamber with an inlet and an outlet, the pump being driven by the countershaft, and a flow restrictor disposed at or downstream of the chamber outlet, the flow restrictor being adjustable to increase and decrease an amount of flow restriction from, the outlet of the chamber. Torque needed to drive the pump increases with an increasing flow restriction by the flow restrictor. A method for braking a countershaft in a transmission is also provided.

Abstract: A transmission capable of triple overdrive includes a main box section connected to a first input shaft. The main box section comprises clutch collars which are connected to the main shaft and axially movable by an operator to selectively couple one main shaft gear to a main shaft via a countershaft gear fixed on a countershaft. An auxiliary section is connected to the main box section and contains a splitter section and a range section. An output shaft is connected to the auxiliary section The transmission is selectively configured to operate in a plurality of gear combinations. At least three of the gear combinations are configured for overdrive. The main box section is connected directly to the splitter section.

Abstract: A multi clutch transmission includes a first clutch plate mounted on a first input shaft, a second clutch plate mounted on a second input shaft arranged concentrically around the first input shaft, a third clutch plate mounted on a third input shaft arranged concentrically around the second input shaft, and a clutch housing comprising a plurality of reaction plates, the first, second, and third clutch plates being individually and selectively engageable and disengageable with reaction plates in the clutch housing. A multi clutch transmission can also include at least three countershafts arranged around the input shafts.