Spicer® Off-Highway Systems

Dana provides custom, high-quality drivetrain solutions for manufacturers
of outdoor power equipment and leisure/utility vehicles across a wide range of
applications. Dana offers Spicer ® transmissions, transaxles, axles, driveshafts,
and brake assemblies as complete systems that come with the flexibility,
quality, and value Dana is known for globally.
Customization
Dana supplies components to
more than 60 manufacturers of
outdoor power equipment and
leisure/utility vehicles worldwide,
and no two drivetrain systems
are ever alike. To achieve this,
Dana partners with manufacturers
to supply axles and system
configurations to meet customers’
exact specifications.
At Dana, there are no “off-theshelf”
systems. Dana designs
application-specific customization
in any area of the assembly,
including wheel-to-wheel mounting
dimensions, bracketry, angle of
the carrier assembly, and leftand
right-hand axle shaft and
tube lengths.
Dana can help its outdoor power
equipment and leisure/utility
vehicle customers quickly adjust to
market demand by offering a short
lead time for drawings, materials,
and testing. Dana is able to make
use of its vast parts resources and
advanced testing facilities around
the globe to provide customers
with a customized, fully functional
sample that can be tested in
prototype or existing applications.
Product Performance
Outdoor power equipment and
leisure/utility vehicles work for
extended periods of time under
demanding conditions, and their
components must be built to
last while requiring little or no
maintenance. For a quarter of a
century, Dana has supplied these
markets with high-quality, proven
drivetrain solutions that will always
work the right way for the life
of the equipment.
Dana stands behind its components
by offering warranties, parts
and service, and professional
maintenance.
Manufacturers of outdoor power
equipment and leisure/utility
vehicles rely on Dana for custom
drivetrain solutions across a
variety of applications, including:
• All-terrain vehicles (ATVs)
• Utility vehicles
• Light-duty haulers
• Commercial mowers
• Golf cars
• Front- and rear-engine
riding mowers
• Neighborhood electric
vehicles (NEVs)
• Small utility vehicles
• Personal carriers
• Garden tractors
• Walk-behind mowers
Dana developed the Spicer ® Model 26 drivetrain
assembly as a complex, unique system designed for
a new high-performance, side-by-side ATV.
Dana began the process with
an application data sheet from
the customer that included
specifications of the entire vehicle,
from engine and transmission to
tire sizes and desired final speed
requirements.
The customer’s packaging was
central to the design because of
the rugged features required on this
ATV. The axle had to be integrated
with multiple durable attachment
points for the engine, transmission,
and frame mounts. To achieve this,
Dana engineers used advanced
computer-aided engineering
software to model axle and frame
positions, working with the customer
to choose the best option.
Finite element analysis was used to
eliminate any possible equipment
failures and to evaluate projected
axle performance over more than
1,000 hours of operation. The final
step in the process allowed Dana
and the manufacturer to test
a working prototype vehicle
extensively for durability and
performance. Fine-tuning for
details like bearing fit finalized
the vehicle for production.