Axle assembly for a motorcycle assembly having a pair of driven wheels

1. An axle assembly that is configured for use in a motorcycle having a pair of driven wheels, the axle assembly comprising:

a case;

a drive member coupled to the case, the drive member comprises a pulley or a sprocket that is configured to engage an endless power transmitting element;

a pair of bearings mounted to opposite ends of the case; and

a carrier housing assembly having a carrier housing and a pair of bearing caps, each of the bearings being received between the carrier housing and an associated one of the bearing caps to support the case for rotation relative to the carrier housing assembly about a rotational axis, the carrier housing comprising an open and unsealed side that is configured to receive the endless power transmitting element therethrough.

2. The axle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the case is part of a differential assembly having a pair of output members, and wherein the axle assembly further comprises a pair of shafts that are adapted to transmit rotary power from the output members to the driven wheels.

3. The axle assembly of claim 2 , further comprising a pair of axle tubes that are coupled to opposite ends of the carrier housing, each of the axle tubes housing a corresponding one of the shafts.

4. The axle assembly of claim 3 , wherein each axle tube comprises a bearing mount and the axle assembly further comprises a pair of shaft bearings, wherein each of the shaft bearings is mounted on an associated one of the shafts and is axially slidably received into an associated one of the bearing mounts.

5. The axle assembly of claim 4 , further including a pair of retaining plates, each of the retaining plates abutting a side of a corresponding one of the shaft bearings so that each shaft bearing is disposed between the carrier housing and one of the retaining plates.

6. The axle assembly of claim 5 , wherein the retaining plates are configured to cooperate with the bearing mounts to apply a clamping force to outer races of the shaft bearings to inhibit rotation of the outer races relative to the bearing mounts.

7. The axle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the carrier housing is a unitarily formed casting.

8. The axle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the carrier housing is a weldment.

9. The axle assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a suspension mount coupled to the carrier housing, the suspension mount being configured for use in mounting the carrier housing to a frame of the motorcycle.

10. The axle assembly of claim 9 , wherein the suspension mount is not directly coupled to the carrier housing.

11. The axle assembly of claim 10 , wherein the suspension mount is mounted on an axle tube that is fixedly coupled to the carrier housing.

12. The axle assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a pair of output members, a pair of wheel flanges, and a pair of shafts, the output members being housed in the case, each of the shafts transmitting rotary power between an associated one of the output members and an associated one of the wheel flanges.

13. The axle assembly of claim 12 , wherein the shafts are not sealed to the carrier housing in corresponding areas where the shafts pass through the carrier housing.

14. The axle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the drive member extends outwardly from the carrier housing beyond the open and unsealed side of the carrier housing.

15. The axle assembly of claim 1 , wherein at least one opening is formed into the carrier housing on a side other than the open and unsealed side such that air may flow through the carrier housing during operation of the axle assembly.

16. An axle assembly that is configured for use in a motorcycle having a pair of driven wheels, the axle assembly comprising:

a case;

a drive member coupled to the case, the drive member comprises a pulley or a sprocket that is configured to engage an endless power transmitting element;

a pair of bearings mounted to opposite ends of the case; and

a carrier housing assembly having a carrier housing and a pair of bearing caps, each of the bearings being received between the carrier housing and an associated one of the bearing caps to support the case for rotation relative to the carrier housing assembly about a rotational axis, the carrier housing comprising a front surface that is configured to face toward a front wheel of the motorcycle;

wherein the drive member extends outwardly from the carrier housing beyond the front surface; and

wherein the carrier housing comprises at least one unsealed opening that is formed on a surface other than the front surface, the at least one unsealed opening permitting air flowing through the font surface during operation of the axle assembly to exit the carrier housing.

17. The axle assembly of claim 16 , wherein the case is part of a differential assembly having a pair of output members, and wherein the axle assembly further comprises a pair of shafts that are adapted to transmit rotary power from the output members to the driven wheels.

18. The axle assembly of claim 17 , further comprising a pair of axle tubes that are coupled to opposite ends of the carrier housing, each of the axle tubes housing a corresponding one of the shafts.

19. The axle assembly of claim 18 , wherein each axle tube comprises a bearing mount and the axle assembly further comprises a pair of shaft bearings, wherein each of the shaft bearings is mounted on an associated one of the shafts and is axially slidably received into an associated one of the bearing mounts.

20. The axle assembly of claim 19 , further including a pair of retaining plates, each of the retaining plates abutting a side of a corresponding one of the shaft bearings so that each shaft bearing is disposed between the carrier housing and one of the retaining plates.

21. The axle assembly of claim 20 , wherein the retaining plates are configured to cooperate with the bearing mounts to apply a clamping force to outer races of the shaft bearings to inhibit rotation of the outer races relative to the bearing mounts.

22. The axle assembly of claim 16 , wherein the carrier housing is a unitarily formed casting.

23. The axle assembly of claim 16 , wherein the carrier housing is a weldment.

24. The axle assembly of claim 16 , further comprising a suspension mount coupled to the carrier housing, the suspension mount being configured for use in mounting the carrier housing to a frame of the motorcycle.

25. The axle assembly of claim 24 , wherein the suspension mount is not directly coupled to the carrier housing.

26. The axle assembly of claim 25 , wherein the suspension mount is mounted on an axle tube that is fixedly coupled to the carrier housing.

27. The axle assembly of claim 16 , further comprising a pair of output members, a pair of wheel flanges, and a pair of shafts, the output members being housed in the case, each of the shafts transmitting rotary power between an associated one of the output members and an associated one of the wheel flanges.

28. The axle assembly of claim 27 , wherein the shafts are not sealed to the carrier housing in corresponding areas where the shafts pass through the carrier housing.