Axle housing tubes

The axle housing tube is the supporting element of the rear axle of a commercial vehicle. It is place directly at the housing of the differential gear. There the tube houses the shaft and it offers possibilities for mounting parts – as brake calliper and suspension - at the same time.


The axle housing tube – manufactured by voestalpine Präzisrohrtechnik GmbH since December 2005 – is a forged part processed out of one tubular part by hot forming or so called rotational forging.


Production operations


Production of cold drawn precision steel tubes
Cutting of precision cut lengths
Inductive heating (max. 1250°) of precision cut length at one tube end
Upsetting of tube lengthwise
Radial forming over 4 oscillating tools and simultaneous definition of inner contour over mandrel
Cooling and descaling over inner and outer blasting
Casting and outer turning of both tube ends (forged end will be turned inside as well=
Washing and testing

Das Achstragrohr ist das tragende Element der Hinterachse eines Nutzfahrzeuges und direkt am Gehäuse des Differentialgetriebe befestigt. Dort ummantelt das Rohr einerseits die Welle und bietet andererseits Befestigungs-möglichkeiten für Anbauten, wie Bremssattel und Federung.

Advantages of forging technology

The advantages of the radial forged tubular components are besides the improved weight reduction the tight tolerances of the inner (H7) and the outer contours (h9) the excellent grain structure and the high surface quality. Furthermore the simultaneous inner and outer processing over mandrel guarantees a reduction of processing steps.

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Brochure Forging [1.1 MByte/pdf]

Application of forged parts

With the forging technology produced parts can be used in the automotive area for the following areas: Axle housing Hollow drive shaft Shafts for manual and automatic transmission Valve body for power steering Components for HP fuel-injection system Hollow stabiliser Hollow gear racks Hollow gear shafts