Chapter 23

Heavy-Duty
Truck Axles

Objectives (1 of 3)
Identify the types of axles used on trucks and
trailers.
Define the terms dead axle, live axle, pusher
axle, and tag axle.
Outline the construction of a drive axle carrier
assembly.
Explain how a pinion and crown gearset
change the direction of powerflow.

Objectives (2 of 3)
Describe differential action and list the
reasons it is required.
Identify the components required to create
differential action.
Describe the operation of the various drive
axle configurations.
Identify the components used in an interaxle
differential or power divider.

Objectives (3 of 3)
Explain how an interaxle differential lock
functions.
Define the term spinout and explain how it is
caused.
Trace the powerflow path through different
types of differential carriers.

Examples of Heavy-duty Axles

Typical Steering Axle

Trailer Axle

Single Rear Drive Axle

Cutaway Differential Carrier

Shop Talk
Each OEM tends to use different words to describe the same
components, but in this text we will try to use the most common
term.
A crown gear is also a ring gear, but we usually will use the first
term.
An axle shaft also can be known as a half-shaft or drive shaft;
once again, we usually will use the first term.
A drive shaft connects a drive wheel to a differential, whereas a
driveshaft is a propeller shaft that delivers input torque to the
final drive carrier. Confused? You bet, but, nevertheless, you
should try to become familiar with all the OEM terms so that you
can accurately interpret service literature.

Typical Differential Components

Differential Action

Tandem Drive Axles

Final Drive Axle Configurations

A single-reduction axle
A planetary double-reduction axle
A two-speed axle assembly
A tandem drive axle

Bevel Gears

Hypoid, Amboid,
and Spiral Bevel Gears

Single-reduction Carrier

Differential Lock

Hypoid Double-reduction Carrier

Planetary
Double-reduction Gearing

Forward Tandem Drive Axle

Torque Distribution
with Power Divider Unlocked

Torque Distribution
with Power Divider Locked

Power Divider
with External Lube Pump

Disengaged Power Divider

Torque Distribution
with Normal Traction Conditions

Power Divider Engaged

Torque Distribution
When One Axle Loses Traction

Drive Axle Shaft

Configurations
Two drive axle shaft configurations are used
to provide support between the axle hub and
the vehicle wheels.
Semi-floating axle shaft
Full floating axle shaft

Non-driving Axles
There are three categories of non-driving or
dead axles.
Steering axles
Lift and tag axles
Trailer axles

Summary (1 of 6)
Axles can be divided into live axles and dead
axles.
Live axles are drive axles; they house the
gearing required to change the direction of
powerflow and produce differential action.
Dead axles are designed to support chassis
loads. Dead axles include steering axles, tag
axles, pusher axles, and various types of
trailer axles.

Summary (2 of 6)
The drive axles in trucks are known as
differential carriers and are mounted in a
banjo housing.
Driveshafts deliver driveline torque to the
differential carrier that uses pinion and crown
gearing to change the direction of powerflow
and transmit it to the drive wheels.
Differential gearing is required in drive axles
and enables an outboard wheel to turn faster
than an inboard wheel through a turn.

Summary (3 of 6)
The critical differential components are a four
shaft spider with pinion gears on each shaft
that mesh to side gears on either side. The
side gears are splined to the axle shaft
responsible for driving the wheels.
During differential action, the slowdown of
one side gear is inversely proportional to the
increase in speed of its opposite side gear.

Summary (4 of 6)
Most single-reduction axles are splashlubricated by gear oil as the geared
components rotate, but many differential
carriers with power dividers and multiplereduction gearing use oil pumps to help
lubricate the assembly.
Tandem drive trucks require an inter-axle
differential or power divider to divide driveline
torque between the two drive axles.

Summary (5 of 6)
In a tandem drive axle arrangement, differential
action in the differential carriers and power divider
can cause spinout, in which a one-wheel spin can
produce fourfold velocities.
Most inter-axle differentials can be temporarily
locked out by a driver-activated switch.
This can help provide traction in slippery conditions
and reduce the potential for spinout.

Summary (6 of 6)
Two-speed differential carrier gearing can be
used on both single and tandem drive axle
vehicles; control is by the driver.
A double-reduction differential carrier can
produce two ratio reductions. The first
reduction takes place at the crown and pinion
gearing, the second at a planetary gearset.
Torque proportioning power dividers reduce
spinouts by biasing torque transfer to the
drive axle with the most traction.