Ball Ground, Georgia
MODULAR AXLE™
MODULAR, PATENTED TECHNOLOGY
Three substantial benefits:
- TRACTABILITY
- FLEXIBILITY
- MAINTAINABILITY
TRACTABILITY
- Provides more pumpkin ground clearance, retaining the benefits of a solid axle
- Case has no lip to catch on terrain, just a smooth, ring shape
- No fasteners extend below the diff case that could be subject to damage
- Gain as much additional center clearance as buying new 2” to 4” taller tires
FLEXIBILITY
- Slotted components provide for easy adjustment of the pinion angle and caster
- Modular design allows for easy configuration
- Can clock to provide changes in wheelbase or wheel location in the wheelwell
- Same diff ring can be used as either high or low pinion
- Steering axles can be used in back, fixed, for later attachment of steering parts
MAINTAINABILITY
- Captive CV Joints provide a hardware “fuse” to protect the inner and outer axle shafts
- Easily replace any CV by simply unbolting the sections, regardless of axle shaft lengths
- One spare CV can fix an expired CV in any position, better than 4 spare axle shafts
MODULAR AXLE EVOLUTION
Evolution of the Modular Design
Evolution of the Modular Design
Evolution of the Modular Design
This is the most basic axle design that is common in most all vehicles today. In this conventional axle, the differential is the lowest part of the assembly. it is also in the worst place to hang low, as it is prone to hitting the terrain.
Superior to Portal Axles
Evolution of the Modular Design
Evolution of the Modular Design
To solve the low-hanging differential, one approach is a Portal axle. Portals add height at the end of the axle, but they contain gears and are complicated and very heavy. Trail repairs are not likely to be possible. What is a simpler approach?
What if we BEND it like this?
Evolution of the Modular Design
What if we BEND it like this?
In order to raise the differential, we could bend the axle...
This moves the differential up and provides more ground clearance. However, the parts just don't bend that way. And worse, we need another bend to make the hub and tire vertical.
Straighten the Hub?
CV Joints to the rescue
What if we BEND it like this?
The hub that holds the wheel has to be vertical. Actuall, it has to be allowed to be slightly off vertical, and adjusted for the correct camber.
So this is the second area that we need an angle. The straight axle shaft is just not going to work for us. But, the idea is good if we can handle the angles...
CV Joints to the rescue
CV Joints to the rescue
CV Joints to the rescue
The two angles can be hadled well by Constant Velocity Joints that are widely used in most all independent suspensions. They are readily available, strong, inexpensive, and easily replaced. In conventional axles, they change angles as the tires go up and down. But in this use, we hold them in alignment at a constant, shallow angle, increasing their life and torque capacity.
The Result
CV Joints to the rescue
CV Joints to the rescue
Based on five claims that the US Patent Office acknowledged, a patent was granted. One of the claims was that the CV joints would act as mechanical "fuses" to prevent breaking other parts. Since they are inexpensive, easily replaced, and all are identical, they represent a great way to provide ease of maintenance.