What is the difference between a floating and semi-floating axle?
Axles are classified by the way in which the half-shafts and wheel hubs are supported — half-shafts are the two longitudinal members of the axle which ‘meet’ at the differential. In a semi-floating axle, each half-shaft is supported at its inner end by a bearing, which also carries the differential. At the outer end, there is a bearing between the shaft and the inside of the axle housing. This design is often used in passenger cars, as all the half-shafts have to sustain is the weight of the Jeep. In a three-quarter floating axle, there is also a hearing inside the axle housing which supports the diff, but the outer bearing is situated between the wheel hub and the axle housing, to support the weight of the vehicle when cornering. Here, the half-shaft is subjected to extra load only when cornering. In a fully floating axle, there are two bearings between each hub and the axle housing, and these carry both the weight of the vehicle and the extra stress imposed during cornering. The bene
