High Pinion Axle

A high pinion axle housing design has the pinion shaft entering the housing above the axle tube centerline. The ring and pinion gear teeth are cut in the opposite direction to allow this relocation of the pinion shaft entry point. Sometimes this axle is mistakenly called a “reverse rotation” axle but this is not correct. The ring and pinion still rotate in the same direction but the tooth pattern is reverse cut allowing the driving force to be carried on the stronger side of the ring gear teeth when a high pinion axle is used in the front of a 4 wheel drive vehicle. When used in the rear of a 4 wheel drive vehicle some strength is lost since the driving force is applied to the weaker side of the ring gear teeth.