Forklift Steer Axle - The definition of an axle is a central shaft utilized for revolving a wheel or a gear. Where wheeled motor vehicles are concerned, the axle itself can be connected to the wheels and rotate along with them. In this particular case, bushings or bearings are provided at the mounting points where the axle is supported. Conversely, the axle can be fixed to its surroundings and the wheels could in turn rotate all-around the axle. In this particular situation, a bushing or bearing is positioned inside the hole inside the wheel to allow the wheel or gear to revolve around the axle.
When referring to cars and trucks, several references to the word axle co-occur in casual usage. Generally, the term refers to the shaft itself, a transverse pair of wheels or its housing. The shaft itself revolves with the wheel. It is normally bolted in fixed relation to it and referred to as an 'axle shaft' or an 'axle.' It is likewise true that the housing surrounding it which is generally known as a casting is likewise referred to as an 'axle' or at times an 'axle housing.' An even broader definition of the word means every transverse pair of wheels, whether they are attached to one another or they are not. Therefore, 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 serve in order to transmit driving torque to the wheel. The axles also maintain the position of the wheels relative to one another and to the vehicle body. In this particular system the axles must also be able to support the weight of the vehicle together with whatever cargo. In a non-driving axle, like for example the front beam axle in various two-wheel drive light vans and trucks and in heavy-duty trucks, there will be no shaft. The axle in this condition works just as a steering part and as suspension. Various front wheel drive cars have a solid rear beam axle.
The axle works just to transmit driving torque to the wheels in several kinds of suspension systems. The position and angle of the wheel hubs is part of the functioning of the suspension system found in the independent suspensions of new sports utility vehicles and on the front of many new light trucks and cars. These systems still have a differential but it does not have attached axle housing tubes. It can be fixed 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 similar to a full floating axle system as in they do not support the vehicle weight.
Lastly, with regards to a motor vehicle, 'axle,' has a more ambiguous classification. It means parallel wheels on opposing sides of the motor vehicle, regardless of their mechanical connection kind to one another and the motor vehicle frame or body.
                            
                                                            
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