| 摘要 |
A wheel spindle and bearing assembly for either a non-drive or driven wheel of a vehicle includes a unitary spindle of substantially constant diameter along the bearing section which includes dual raceways formed in the outer surface. Dual annular arrays of antifriction elements are seated in the raceways and are held captive by dual outer support rings, thus providing relative rotation between the spindle and the rings. The support rings are preferably mounted for telescoping movement relative to each other between a retracted position in the direction of the axis of the spindle to allow loading of the antifriction elements and an axially extended position for applying an opposed, axial preload force to the bearing assembly. In the axially extended position the rings form a gap between opposed faces and a split, annular keeper is positioned in the gap and held in compression to secure the entire assembly. The cross section area of the keeper is slightly larger than the gap to establish the preload force.
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