Axle assembly including a wheel end and method of manufacture

1. A method of manufacturing an axle housing assembly comprising:

providing an axle housing having a center portion and first and second arm portions extending in opposing directions from the center portion, the first arm portion including an end surface that faces away from the center portion;

providing a wheel end housing that includes:

a wheel end body having an inboard end surface and an outboard end surface disposed opposite the inboard end surface;

a spindle having a first spindle end surface and a second spindle end surface disposed opposite the first spindle end surface, wherein the spindle is mounted to the wheel end body by engaging the first spindle end surface to the outboard end surface and welding the spindle to the wheel end body; and

a mounting flange that is welded to the wheel end body and is spaced apart from the spindle; and

mounting the wheel end housing to the axle housing by engaging the inboard end surface to the end surface and welding the wheel end housing to the axle housing, wherein the mounting flange is axially positioned closer to the axle housing than the spindle, the spindle is welded to the wheel end body before the wheel end body is welded to the axle housing, the spindle is attached to the wheel end body only by welding, and the wheel end body is attached to the axle housing only by welding.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the mounting flange is axially positioned closer to the axle housing than the outboard end surface.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein providing the wheel end housing further comprises mounting a suspension interface plate to the wheel end body between the inboard end surface and the outboard end surface.

4. A method of manufacturing an axle housing assembly comprising:

providing an axle housing having a center portion and first and second arm portions that are disposed about a central axis and that extend in opposing directions from the center portion, the first arm portion including an end surface that faces away from the center portion;

providing a wheel end housing that includes:

a wheel end body having:

an inboard end surface that is shaped as a ring having an outer circumferential surface;

an outboard end surface disposed opposite the inboard end surface;

a center body portion that is axially positioned between and is spaced apart from the inboard end surface and the outboard end surface, wherein the center body portion has a first cross-sectional shape, and the inboard end surface and the outboard end surface have a second cross-sectional shape that differs from the first cross-sectional shape;

a first connecting portion that extends from the inboard end surface to the center body portion; and

a second connecting portion that is disposed opposite the first connecting portion and that extends from the outboard end surface to the center body portion; and

a spindle having a first spindle end surface and a second spindle end surface disposed opposite the first spindle end surface, wherein the spindle is mounted to the wheel end body by engaging the first spindle end surface to the outboard end surface and welding the spindle to the wheel end body; and

mounting the wheel end housing to the axle housing by engaging the inboard end surface to the end surface and welding the wheel end housing to the axle housing.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the first cross-sectional shape is substantially rectangular and the second cross-sectional shape is substantially circular.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the inboard end surface is welded to the end surface of the first arm portion, the spindle is welded to the outboard end surface, and the spindle is not received inside the wheel end housing.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein the wheel end body has a first shoulder portion that extends from the center body portion at an oblique angle to a first shoulder ridge that is disposed further from the central axis than the center body portion and the first shoulder portion is axially positioned between the inboard end surface and the center body portion.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the wheel end body has a second shoulder portion that extends from the center body portion at an oblique angle to a second shoulder ridge that is disposed further from the central axis than the center body portion and the second shoulder portion is axially positioned between the second connecting portion and the center body portion.

9. A method of manufacturing an axle housing assembly comprising:

providing an axle housing having a center portion and first and second arm portions extending in opposing directions from the center portion, the first arm portion including an end surface that faces away from the center portion;

providing a wheel end housing that includes:

a wheel end body having: an inboard end surface that is shaped as a ring having an outer circumferential surface;

an outboard end surface disposed opposite the inboard end surface;

a center body portion that is axially positioned between and is spaced apart from the inboard end surface and the outboard end surface, the center body portion having a first cross-sectional shape that differs from the shape of the inboard end surface;

a first connecting portion that extends from the inboard end surface to the center body portion; and

a second connecting portion that is disposed opposite the first connecting portion and that extends from the outboard end surface to the center body portion; and

a spindle having a first spindle end surface and a second spindle end surface disposed opposite the first spindle end surface, wherein the spindle is mounted to the wheel end body by engaging the first spindle end surface to the outboard end surface and welding the spindle to the wheel end body; and

mounting the wheel end housing to the axle housing by engaging the inboard end surface to the end surface and welding the wheel end housing to the axle housing, wherein the spindle is welded to the wheel end body before the wheel end housing is welded to the axle housing.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the outboard end surface is shaped as a ring having an outside circumferential surface, wherein the first cross-sectional shape differs from a cross-sectional shape of the outboard end surface.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the wheel end body defines a wheel end passage that is substantially rectangular in the center body portion and is substantially circular at the inboard end surface.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the wheel end body is substantially circular at the outboard end surface.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the end surface of the first arm portion is shaped as a ring having an inside circumference and an outside circumference.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the first arm portion further comprises an elongated portion that extends from the center portion to a transition portion, the transition portion extends in an axial direction from the elongated portion to the end surface, and the elongated portion has a noncircular cross section.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the first arm portion defines a passage that is substantially rectangular in the elongated portion and is substantially circular at the end surface.

16. The method of claim 9 wherein the first cross-sectional shape is noncircular.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the first cross-sectional shape is substantially rectangular.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the first cross-sectional shape extends from the first connecting portion to the second connecting portion.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the wheel end housing further comprises first and second suspension interface plates that are welded to the wheel end body and are axially positioned between the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion.