Installation of a hub/bearing assembly for an automotive vehicle

摘要

A tool (T) facilitates the installation of a hub/bearing assembly (B) on a CV joint (F) during the assembly of an automotive vehicle. The hub/bearing assembly has a housing (4), a hub (6) provided with a spindle (20) that projects into the housing, and a bearing (8) between the spindle and housing to enable the hub to rotate in the housing. The spindle contains an internal spline (34) which mates with an external spline (72) located on a half-shaft (68) of the CV joint, when the hub/bearing assembly is fitted to the CV joint, but the universal movement of the CV joint makes fitting difficult in the absence of the tool. The tool has a sleeve (90) which fits into the spline of the hub spindle and over a reduced end (74) that projects beyond the spline on the half-shaft. It aligns the two splines so that the hub is simply pushed off the sleeve and over the spline of the half-shaft.