Forklift Steer Axles - The classification of an axle is a central shaft for rotating a wheel or a gear. Where wheeled vehicles are concerned, the axle itself can be connected to the wheels and rotate together with them. In this case, bearings or bushings are provided at the mounting points where the axle is supported. On the other hand, the axle may be attached to its surroundings and the wheels may in turn turn all-around the axle. In this instance, a bushing or bearing is located within the hole within the wheel in order to allow the wheel or gear to revolve all-around the axle.
With trucks and cars, the word axle in some references is used casually. The term generally refers to the shaft itself, a transverse pair of wheels or its housing. The shaft itself revolves along with the wheel. It is usually bolted in fixed relation to it and known as an 'axle shaft' or an 'axle.' It is likewise true that the housing around it that is usually known as a casting is also referred to as an 'axle' or occasionally an 'axle housing.' An even broader sense of the word means every transverse pair of wheels, whether they are attached to one another or they are not. Hence, even transverse pairs of wheels in an independent suspension are generally referred to as 'an axle.'
The axles are an integral component in a wheeled vehicle. The axle works in order to transmit driving torque to the wheel in a live-axle suspension system. The position of the wheels is maintained by the axles relative to one another and to the motor vehicle body. In this particular system the axles should even be able to bear the weight of the motor vehicle together with whichever load. In a non-driving axle, like the front beam axle in various two-wheel drive light trucks and vans and in heavy-duty trucks, there will be no shaft. The axle in this particular situation serves just as a steering part and as suspension. Several front wheel drive cars have a solid rear beam axle.
The axle serves just to transmit driving torque to the wheels in several kinds of suspension systems. The angle and position of the wheel hubs is part of the operating of the suspension system seen in the independent suspensions of newer sports utility vehicles and on the front of many brand new cars and light trucks. These systems still have a differential but it does not have attached axle housing tubes. It could be attached to the motor vehicle body or frame or also could be integral in a transaxle. The axle shafts then transmit driving torque to the wheels. The shafts in an independent suspension system are like a full floating axle system as in they do not support the motor vehicle weight.
The vehicle axle has a more ambiguous definition, meaning that the parallel wheels on opposing sides of the motor vehicle, regardless of their type of mechanical connection to one another.
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