Axle Housing and a Method of Manufacture

1 . A method of manufacturing an axle housing comprising:

forming a first housing that has a first spindle portion disposed at a first end of the first housing;

forming a second housing that has a second spindle portion disposed at a first end of the second housing; and

joining the first housing to the second housing such that the first spindle portion is aligned with the second spindle portion to form a spindle that is configured to support a rotatable wheel assembly.

2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the step of forming the first housing includes providing a first sheet of material, stamping a first blank from the first sheet of material, and forming the first blank into the first housing.

3 . The method of claim 2 wherein the step of forming the first housing includes adjusting a thickness of the first blank before forming the first blank into the first housing such that at least part of the first spindle portion has a greater thickness than an adjacent portion of the first housing.

4 . The method of claim 2 wherein the step of forming the second housing includes providing a second sheet of material, stamping a second blank from the second sheet of material, and forming the second blank into the second housing.

5 . The method of claim 4 wherein the step of forming the second housing includes adjusting a thickness of the second blank before forming the second blank into the second housing such that at least part of the second spindle portion has a greater thickness than an adjacent portion of the second housing.

6 . The method of claim 1 wherein the step of joining the first housing to the second housing includes welding the first housing to the second housing.

7 . The method of claim 1 further comprising induction hardening the first and second spindle portions after forming the first and second housings.

8 . The method of claim 1 further comprising machining at least one bearing surface on the spindle after joining the first housing to the second housing.

9 . A method of manufacturing an axle housing comprising:

forming a first housing that has a first spindle portion disposed at a first end of the first housing;

forming a second housing that has a second spindle portion disposed at a first end of the second housing;

joining the first housing to the second housing such that the first spindle portion is aligned with the second spindle portion to form a spindle that extends along an axis;

hardening at least a portion of the spindle to form a first bearing surface; and

attaching a bearing shoulder to the spindle adjacent to the first bearing surface, wherein the bearing shoulder is configured to inhibit axial movement of a wheel bearing.

10 . The method of claim 9 wherein the spindle further comprises a second bearing surface that is spaced apart from the first bearing surface, wherein the step of hardening at least a portion of the spindle includes induction hardening the spindle to form first and second bearing surfaces.

11 . The method of claim 10 wherein the first bearing surface has a first diameter and the second bearing surface has a second diameter that is less than the first diameter.

12 . The method of claim 11 wherein the spindle has an exterior surface having a third diameter that is greater than the first diameter, wherein the first bearing surface is disposed between the second bearing surface and the exterior surface.

13 . The method of claim 12 wherein the bearing shoulder is disposed between the exterior surface and the first bearing surface.

14 . The method of claim 13 wherein the bearing shoulder includes a first wall disposed adjacent to the first bearing surface and a second wall that extends from an end of the first wall toward the exterior surface, wherein the first wall extends radially with respect to the axis.

15 . The method of claim 14 wherein attaching the bearing shoulder further comprises welding the bearing shoulder to the spindle proximate the exterior surface.

16 . The method of claim 12 wherein the spindle has a greater cross sectional thickness at the first bearing surface than at the second bearing surface.

17 . The method of claim 16 wherein the spindle has a greater cross sectional thickness at the first bearing surface than at the exterior surface.

18 . An axle housing comprising:

a first housing that includes:

a first end having a first spindle portion, and

a second end disposed opposite the first end that has a second spindle portion; and

a second housing that engages the first housing, the second housing including:

a first end having a third spindle portion, and

a second end disposed opposite the first end that has a fourth spindle portion;

wherein the first and third spindle portions cooperate to define a first spindle and the second and fourth spindle portions cooperate to define a second spindle that is coaxially disposed with the first spindle; wherein the first and second spindles each receive a wheel bearing that rotatably supports a wheel assembly.

19 . The axle housing of claim 18 further comprising a bearing shoulder that engages the first spindle, wherein the bearing shoulder is disposed adjacent to a first bearing surface that engages the wheel bearing.

20 . The axle housing of claim 19 wherein the bearing shoulder includes a first wall disposed adjacent to the first bearing surface and a second surface that extends from an end of the first wall toward an exterior surface of the first spindle, wherein the first wall extends radially with respect to the axis.