A corner module for an automotive vehicle includes a suspension upright, a
wheel end, and a CV joint. The wheel end has a housing that is secured to
the suspension upright and a hub that is provided with a flange to which
a road wheel is attached and also spindle that projects from the flange
into the housing. In addition, the wheel end has a tapered roller bearing
located between the housing and the hub spindle. The CV joint drives the
hub through a coupler ring or an inboard bearing cone that fits around
and is engaged with the hub spindle, all through mating splines. The CV
joint may have a stub shaft that projects from the bell through the hub
spindle to clamp the CV joint and hub spindle together. Torque is
transferred to the hub spindle at a large diameter through the bell of
the CV joint. When present, the stub shaft serves merely to hold the CV
joint and hub spindle together and thus may exist at a small diameter.
Because the bearing transfers radial and thrust loads through tapered
rollers, it and the wheel end of which it is a part may exist in
configurations smaller than their counterparts in traditional wheel ends.