Convertible tandem axle arrangement and method for converting a tandem axle arrangement to either of a single drive or a dual drive tandem axle arrangement

1. A removable carrier housing for a forward tag axle system, comprising

means for removably mounting the carrier housing to a top of a bowl of a forward tag axle system;

a bearing arrangement;

a shaft supported by the bearing arrangement and extending from a front end of the carrier housing to a rear end of the carrier housing, and

a body comprising one or more attachment flanges for attaching the body to a vehicle.

2. The removable carrier housing as set for in claim 1 , comprising a U-joint hinge at opposite ends of the shaft.

3. The removable carrier housing as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the mounting means comprises a flange having a rim with a surface adapted to face a corresponding surface on the bowl.

4. A removable carrier housing for a forward tag axle system, comprising

means for removably mounting the carrier housing to a bowl of a forward tag axle system;

a bearing arrangement; and

a shaft supported by the bearing arrangement and extending from a front end of the carrier housing to a rear end of the carrier housing,

wherein the mounting means comprises a flange having a rim with a surface adapted to face a corresponding surface on the bowl, and

wherein the rim surface is substantially planar and a longitudinal axis of the shaft extends generally parallel to a plane of the rim surface.

5. The removable carrier housing as set forth in claim 1 , comprising a body and a passage through the body through which the shaft extends, the bearing arrangement comprising a bearing at a front end and bearing at a rear end of the housing.

6. The removable carrier housing as set forth in claim 4 , comprising a body comprising one or more attachment flanges for attaching the body to a vehicle.

7. A single drive tandem axle arrangement comprising:

a forward axle system comprising a forward bowl; and

a forward carrier removably mounted on top of the forward bowl and comprising a shaft supported by bearings and extending from a forward end of the forward carrier to a rear end of the forward carrier,

wherein the forward carrier comprises a body comprising one or more attachment flanges for attaching the body to a vehicle.

8. The single drive tandem axle arrangement as set forth in claim 7 , comprising a rear drive axle system, the rear drive axle system comprising a geared rear carrier, the single drive tandem axle arrangement comprising an interaxle drive shaft extending between the shaft and the geared rear carrier.

9. The single drive tandem axle arrangement as set forth in claim 7 , comprising a U-joint hinge at opposite ends of the shaft.

10. The single drive tandem axle arrangement as set forth in claim 7 , wherein the forward carrier comprises a mounting flange having a rim with a surface adapted to face and be mounted to a corresponding surface on the forward bowl.

11. A single drive tandem axle arrangement comprising:

a forward axle system comprising a forward bowl; and

forward carrier removably mounted on the forward bowl and comprising a shaft supported by bearings and extending from a forward end of the forward carrier to a rear end of the forward carrier,

wherein the forward carrier comprises a mounting flange having a rim with a surface adapted to face and be mounted to a corresponding surface on the forward bowl, and

wherein the rim surface is substantially planar and a longitudinal axis of the shaft extends generally parallel to a plane of the rim surface.

12. The single drive tandem axle arrangement as set forth in claim 7 , wherein the forward carrier comprises a body and a passage through the body through which the shaft extends, the bearings comprising a bearing at a front end and bearing at a rear end of the passage.

13. The single drive tandem axle arrangement as set forth in claim 11 , wherein the forward carrier comprises a body comprising one or more attachment flanges for attaching the body to a vehicle.

14. A method of converting a drive axle system between a single drive tandem axle arrangement comprising a rear drive axle a dual drive tandem axle arrangement, comprising:

providing a forward bowl for a forward axle system

mounting one of a geared forward carrier and an ungeared forward carrier on the forward bowl;

removing the one of the geared forward carrier and the ungeared forward carrier from the forward bowl and replacing it with the other one of the geared forward carrier and the ungeared forward carrier,

mounting the one of the geared forward carrier and the ungeared forward carrier to the forward bowl by attaching a mounting flange of the one of the geared forward carrier and the ungeared forward carrier to the forward bowl,

wherein the mounting flange has a rim with a surface adapted to face and be mounted to a corresponding surface on the forward bowl, wherein the forward axle system comprises two generally coaxial arms extending in opposite directions from the forward bowl, the one of the geared forward carrier and the ungeared forward carrier comprises front and rear U-joint hinges, axes of the arms and a line between the front and rear U-joint hinges defining a plane, the surface of the rim of the mounting flange being substantially planar and parallel to the plane, and

removing the one of the geared forward carrier and the ungeared forward carrier from the forward bowl by lifting the one of the geared forward carrier and the ungeared forward carrier perpendicular to the plane.

15. The method as set forth in claim 14 , comprising providing a rear drive axle system, and linking the one of the geared forward carrier and the ungeared forward carrier to the rear drive axle system by an interaxle drive shaft.

16. The method as set forth in claim 14 , wherein the forward axle system comprises two generally coaxial arms extending in opposite directions from the forward bowl, the method comprising installing axle shafts in the arms when mounting the geared forward carrier on the forward bowl.

17. The method as set forth in claim 14 , wherein the forward axle system comprises two generally coaxial arms extending in opposite directions from the forward bowl, the method comprising removing axle shafts from the arms when mounting the ungeared forward carrier on the forward bowl.