Wheel hub and bearing assembly - uses bearing spacer to transmit thrust forces and avoid stress concentrations at axle corner

摘要

The hub has a bearing stop shoulder projecting radially inwardly from an inner circumferential surface of the hub. A bearing is mounted on an outer circumferential surface of the spindle and the bearing spacer is mounted intermediate the stop shoulder and the bearing. The bearing spacer is comprised of an annular member having axially extending inner and outer cylindrical surfaces and radially extending end surfaces. One of the end surfaces extends radially outward from the inner cylindrical surface a radial distance less than the radial extent to the stop shoulder. This end surface is joined to the upper cylindrical surface of the bearing spacer by a surface spaced from the stop shoulder and the inner circumferential surface of the hub. The bearing spacer transmits thrust forces from the bearing to the bearing stop shoulder while allowing a large radius on the bearing stop shoulder to reduce undesirable stress concentrations.