Forklift Steer Axle - Axles are defined by a central shaft that turns a gear or a wheel. The axle on wheeled vehicles could be connected to the wheels and turned together with them. In this particular instance, bearings or bushings are provided at the mounting points where the axle is supported. Conversely, the axle could be attached to its surroundings and the wheels can in turn turn all-around the axle. In this particular situation, a bushing or bearing is placed within the hole within the wheel to be able to enable the wheel or gear to rotate around the axle.
Whenever referring to cars and trucks, some references to the word axle co-occur in casual usage. Usually, the word refers to the shaft itself, a transverse pair of wheels or its housing. The shaft itself rotates along with the wheel. It is frequently bolted in fixed relation to it and called an 'axle shaft' or an 'axle.' It is also true that the housing around it which is normally referred to as a casting is likewise known as an 'axle' or sometimes an 'axle housing.' An even broader definition of the term refers to every transverse pair of wheels, whether they are attached to one another or they are not. Hence, even transverse pairs of wheels inside an independent suspension are often referred to as 'an axle.'
In a wheeled vehicle, axles are an important part. With a live-axle suspension system, the axles work so as 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 bear the weight of the vehicle together with any load. In a non-driving axle, like for instance the front beam axle in various two-wheel drive light vans and trucks and in heavy-duty trucks, there would be no shaft. The axle in this condition works only as a steering component and as suspension. Lots of front wheel drive cars have a solid rear beam axle.
There are other types of suspension systems where the axles serve only to transmit driving torque to the wheels. The angle and position of the wheel hubs is a function of the suspension system. This is normally found in the independent suspension seen in nearly all new SUV's, on the front of various light trucks and on the majority of new cars. These systems still have a differential but it does not have connected axle housing tubes. It could be connected to the vehicle frame or body or even 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 but not least, with regards to a motor vehicle, 'axle,' has a more ambiguous description. It means parallel wheels on opposing sides of the vehicle, regardless of their mechanical connection kind to one another and the vehicle body or frame.
Click to Download the pdf