Kerry R Shannon

US Patent:

6923058, Aug 2, 2005

Filed:

May 15, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/438026

Inventors:

Andrew L. Nieman - Lambertville MI, US
Kerry Shannon - Fort Wayne IN, US

Assignee:

Torque-Traction Technologies, Inc - Holland OH

International Classification:

G01M001/32

US Classification:

73462, 29901, 464180

Abstract:

A process for balancing a vehicular driveline including a propeller shaft and an input shaft of a vehicle axle interconnected by a universal joint. First, the vehicle propeller shaft is balanced to a predetermined residual imbalance having an imbalance vector angle of 0 or 180 which lies inline with open set of cardan joint trunnions. The corrected residual imbalance is then visually marked. Next, the input shaft is balanced to a predetermined residual imbalance having an imbalance vector angle of 0 or 180 which lies inline with cross-holes in yoke ears. Again, the corrected residual imbalance on the input shaft is then visually marked. During the assembly of the vehicle, the assembly line operator couples the propeller shaft to the input shaft through a cardan joint cross by aligning the marks on the propeller shaft and the input shaft so that the marks are located opposite to each other.

US Patent:

55382738, Jul 23, 1996

Filed:

Feb 8, 1995

Appl. No.:

8/385329

Inventors:

Carl D. Osenbaugh - Ypsilanti MI
Kerry R. Shannon - Holland OH

Assignee:

Dana Corporation - Toledo OH

International Classification:

B62D 1700

US Classification:

280661

Abstract:

A steerable axle assembly for use in a motor vehicle. The assembly includes a tube yoke attached to an axle tube, with the yoke having vertically spaced arms. The assembly further includes a steering knuckle having a pair of vertically spaced flanges. At least one of the steering knuckle flanges is rotatably attached to a mating tube yoke arm, via a bearing cap. The other steering knuckle flange is rotatably attached to the mating tube yoke arm via a second bearing cap or a ball joint. Each bearing cap includes a mounting flange releasably attached to one of the tube yoke arms or steering knuckle flanges, a first generally cylindrical portion attached to the mounting flange and disposed in a bore formed in the tube yoke arm, or steering knuckle flange to which the mounted flange is attached, and a second generally cylindrical portion attached to the first generally cylindrical portion and disposed in a stepped bore formed in the mating tube yoke arm or steering knuckle flange so as to pilot a bearing assembly contained therein. The longitudinal centerline axes of the first and second generally cylindrical portions are offset relative to one another and the mounting flange of the bearing cap may be indexed relative to the tube yoke arm or steering knuckle flange to which it is releasably attached, so as to effect a change in position of the steering knuckle relative to the tube yoke, and accordingly, to effect a caster adjustment.