Forklift Steer Axle - Axles are defined by a central shaft which turns a gear or a wheel. The axle on wheeled motor vehicles may be attached to the wheels and turned with them. In this particular instance, bearings or bushings are provided at the mounting points where the axle is supported. On the other hand, the axle can be connected to its surroundings and the wheels may in turn turn around the axle. In this situation, a bearing or bushing is positioned within the hole within the wheel in order to allow the wheel or gear to revolve all-around the axle.
Whenever referring to cars and trucks, some references to the word axle co-occur in casual usage. Normally, the word refers to the shaft itself, a transverse pair of wheels or its housing. The shaft itself rotates together with the wheel. It is usually bolted in fixed relation to it and referred to as an 'axle' or an 'axle shaft'. It is likewise true that the housing around it which is usually called a casting is also referred to as an 'axle' or sometimes an 'axle housing.' An even broader definition of the word refers to every transverse pair of wheels, whether they are connected to one another or they are not. Thus, even transverse pairs of wheels within an independent suspension are generally called 'an axle.'
In a wheeled motor vehicle, axles are an integral part. With a live-axle suspension system, the axles serve to be able to transmit driving torque to the wheel. The axles even maintain the position of the wheels relative to one another and to the motor vehicle body. In this system the axles must likewise be able to support the weight of the motor vehicle plus whichever cargo. In a non-driving axle, like for example the front beam axle in various two-wheel drive light trucks and vans and in heavy-duty trucks, there would be no shaft. The axle in this particular condition works just as a steering component and as suspension. Several front wheel drive cars have a solid rear beam axle.
There are other types of suspension systems wherein the axles serve just to transmit driving torque to the wheels. The angle and position of the wheel hubs is a function of the suspension system. This is often found in the independent suspension seen in the majority of brand new sports utility vehicles, on the front of various light trucks and on nearly all new cars. These systems still have a differential but it does not have connected axle housing tubes. It can be fixed to the motor vehicle body or frame or likewise can be integral in a transaxle. The axle shafts then transmit driving torque to the wheels. The shafts in an independent suspension system are similar to a full floating axle system as in they do not support the motor vehicle weight.
Last of all, with regards to a vehicle, 'axle,' has a more ambiguous classification. It means parallel wheels on opposing sides of the vehicle, regardless of their mechanical connection type to one another and the motor vehicle body or frame.
Click to Download the pdf