Rear Axle
REAR AXLE - 226RBADESCRIPTION
The Rear Beam-design Aluminum (RBA) axle housing has an aluminum center casting (differential housing) with axle shaft tubes extending from either side. The tubes are pressed into the differential housing to form a one-piece axle housing. The axle has semi-floating axle shafts, meaning that vehicle load is supported by the axle shaft and bearings.
OPERATION
The axle receives power from the transfer case through the front propeller shaft. The front propeller shaft is connected to the pinion gear which rotates the differential through the gear mesh with the ring gear bolted to the differential case. The engine power is transmitted to the axle shafts through the pinion mate and side gears. The side gears are splined to the axle shafts.