H:\cab\Intrwovn\NRPortbl\DCC\CAB\6025748_I.doc-17/02/2014 STUB AXLE ADAPTER FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to a stub axle adapter. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] A stub axle is an axle supporting only one wheel of a pair of wheels on opposite sides of a vehicle. [0003] A common form of stub axle is press fit into an end of an axle housing, which is connected to a differential, and welded in place. The stub axle generally includes a flange with attachment sites to connect vehicle system components such as a brake calliper and backing plate, and an anti-lock braking system (ABS) sensor. [0004] In some circumstances, the distance between the pair of wheel needs to be increased, which requires the axle housing to be cut and a spacer to be inserted and welded into the housing, to widen the distance between the stub axles. [0005] For example, with reference to a Toyota Land Cruiser, emissions laws demanded a new V8 engine be installed, which meant the distance between the front wheels was increased, to widen the effective track of the front wheels. [0006] The corresponding track of the rear wheels of a factory made Land Cruiser was not, however, widened which meant the rear wheels would not follow the wheel tracks of the front wheels, causing poor handling and potential instances of roll-over.
H:\jzc\lnIenoven\NRPortb\DCC\JZC\6410962_ L.doc-IO/06/2014 -2 [0007] To address the problem, the distance between the rear wheels has been increased by way of a post-production modification that involves, as mentioned, cutting the rear axle housing, inserting a spacer, welding the spacer and housing back together and inserting an extended axle. With those modifications, the distance between the stub axles is increased by 5 an appropriate amount to allow the rear wheels to follow the track of the front wheels. For a Land Cruiser the rear track needs to be widened by about 100mm to match the front track. OBJECT OF THE INVENTION 10 [0008] The present invention seeks to provide an alternative means of increasing the distance between wheels. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 15 [0009] In accordance with the invention, there is provided a stub axle adapter including a coupling to attach to an existing stub axle flange, a shaft for carrying a wheel hub assembly, a extended body section to distance the shaft from the coupling and a lateral mount for carrying vehicle system components, wherein the mount has attachment sites for carrying the vehicle system components in corresponding locations to those of the existing stub axle flange; the 20 attachment sites are in the form of through holes for connection with the components; the coupling is formed by a base of the adapter, wherein the base has holes that align with one or more of the attachment sites of the existing stub axle to receive fasteners to anchor the coupling to the existing stub axle; and the base has a side clearance slot to allow unobstructed access of an ABS sensor component into an aligned site in the mount. 25 [0010] Preferably, the base has an internal profile to match an external profile of at least part of a shaft of the existing stub axle. [0011] Preferably, the internal profile is designed for press-fit with the external profile. 30 [0012] In another aspect, there is provided a method of installing the adapter of any one of H:\jze\lntenvoven\N RPorbl\DCC\JZC\6410962_ .doc-1O/06/2014 -3 claims 1 to 3, including connecting the coupling to an existing stub axle flange, attaching vehicle system components to the lateral mount of the adapter at the attachment sites, in corresponding locations to those of the existing stub axle flange, and fitting an ABS sensor component in the side clearance slot. 5 [0013] Preferably, the method includes cutting a shaft of the existing stub axle and press fitting the adapter onto an external profile of the existing stub axle. [0014] Preferably, the method includes fixing fasteners through holes in the coupling that are 10 aligned with corresponding sites on the existing stub axle. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0021] The invention is more fully described, by way of non-limiting example only, with 15 reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a differential, axle housings and adapters; H:\cab\Intrwovn\NRPortbl\DCC\CAB\6025748_I.doc-17/02/2014 -4 Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the differential, axle housings and adapters; Figure 3 is a perspective view of one of the adapters carrying a hub assembly; Figure 4 is a perspective view of the adapter; Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the adapter; Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the adapter mounted to the axle housing, carrying a wheel hub assembly; Figure 7a is an exploded perspective view of the differential, axle housings and adapters; and Figure 7b is an exploded side view of the differential, axle housings and adapters. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0022] Referring firstly to Figure 1, a stub axle adapter 1 is shown mounted to an existing stub axle flange 2, at an end 3 of a respective axle housing 4 connected to a differential housing 5. [0023] The adapters 1 are of the same shape and form and, for the sake of clarity, only one of the adapters 1 will be described in detail. [0024] The adapter 1 supports a wheel hub assembly 6 in spaced relation from the original flange 2. The adapter 1 has a base 7 that forms a coupling 8 to connect with the flange 2, a lateral mount 9 and a extended body section 10 to distance the mount 9 from the base 7. [0025] Referring to Figure 2, a cross sectional view shows an axle 11 extending though H:\cab\Intrwovn\NRPortbl\DCC\CAB\6025748_I.doc-17/02/2014 -5 the axle housing 4. The axle 11 include an end 12 that is driven by a differential coupling (not shown) and a remote end 13 that drives the hub assembly 6. The hub assembly 6 is mounted on a sleeve 14 of the adapter 1, concentric with the axle 11. [0026] Referring now to Figure 3, the base 7 of the adapter 1 is shaped to match the flange 2 of the original stub axle 15 so that mounting sites 16 in the original flange 2 align with through holes 17 in the base 7, to receive high tensile fasteners (not shown). [0027] The mount 9 includes site locations in the form of through holes 18 that correspond to the positions of the original sites 16 and vehicle system components (not shown) are mounted to those locations in an identical manner to the original flange 2. The components can include a brake calliper, a brake backing plate and an ABS sensor mounting bracket and the like. [0028] Referring to Figure 4, the mount 9 also includes a through hole 19 for an ABS sensor component (not shown). The base 7 of the adapter 1 has a side clearance slot 20 for unobstructed access of an ABS sensor component into the aligned hole 19 in the mount 9. Figure 4 also shows the sleeve 14 of the adapter 1 as having a series of stepped areas 21 that seat associated parts of the wheel hub assembly 6. [0029] Referring to Figure 5, the adapter 1 is shown as a single unit 22 which is fully machined from a blank. However, the base 7, mount 9, extended body section 10 and sleeve 14 may instead be formed separately and welded together. In any case, an internal profile 23 of the adapter 1 has a stepped configuration that is suitable for press fit with an external profile 24 of the original stub axle 15, as shown in Figure 6. [0030] Figure 6 shows a shaft 25 of the stub axle 15, which would have originally been about the same length as the sleeve 14, cut down so that the external profile 24 seats neatly with the internal profile 23 of the adapter 1. No welding is needed to secure the adapter 1 in place as the through holes 17 in the base 7 align with the mounting sites 16 in the flange 2, for receipt of fasteners.
H:\cab\Intrwovn\NRPortbl\DCC\CAB\6025748_I.doc-17/02/2014 -6 [0031] The sites 16 of the flange 2 are replicated on the lateral mount 9 so all the original vehicle components can be readily removed from the flange 2 and simply reattached in the same configuration. The extended body section 10 serves to effectively space the sleeve 14 and the wheel hub assembly 6 away from the original flange 2 by a required distance. In the case of a Toyota Land Cruiser, the distance each rear wheel needs to be moved is 55mm on each adapter 1 so that the rear wheels follow the wheel tracks of the front wheels. [0032] It should be appreciated that fitting the adapter 1 is a relatively simple process compared to the prior art technique of cutting an axle housing, inserting a spacer and extended axle and welding the housing and spacer together again. All that is required to fit the adapter 1 of the present invention is for the original stub axle sleeve to be cut, after which the adapter can be press fit and bolted in place. The adapter 1 can be fitted with the aid of a couple of jigs and fixtures that can all be supplied as a kit. [0033] Exploded views of the adapters 1, axle housings 4 and differential housing 5 are illustrated in Figures 7a and 7b for completeness. [0034] The invention is described by way of non-limiting example only and many modifications and variations may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention described.
H:\cab\Intrwovn\NRPortbl\DCC\CAB\6025748_I.doc-17/02/2014 -7 LIST OF PARTS 1. Adapter 2. Flange 3. End 4. Axle housing 5. Differential housing 6. Wheel hub assembly 7. Base 8. Coupling 9. Mount 10. Extended body section 11. Axle 12. End 13. Remote end 14. Sleeve 15. Axle 16. Mounting sites 17. Holes 18. Holes 19. Hole 20. Clearance slot 21. Stepped areas 22. Unit 23. Internal profile 24. External profile 25. Shaft