How does a Rear Axle work?
How does a Rear Axle Work
  A rear axle allows a vehicle to  control its back wheels. There are two different axles; the rear axle controls  the rear differential strength in the wheels at the back of the vehicle. The  rear axle basically transfers strength from the rear differential to the  driving wheels.There is more than one joint present in a rear axle joint for  elasticity purposes.
  Functions of the Rear Axle
  The rear axle has three main  functions. First, it receives power from the engine and directs it to the  wheels. It also provides the low gear for the vehicle. Finally, it allows  the wheels to drive at various speeds when cornering without losing control.
  The transfer of power from the engine  to the wheels and the assignment of driving in lower gears are carried  out  by the crown of the wheel and the pinion.There are three types of  crown wheels and pinions; the are the straight bevel, the spiral bevel and the  hypoid bevel.  The straight bevel is very  effective. With the spiral bevel, the pinion is located towards  the center of the overrun.The hypoid is the most popular  of the  bevels.  The hypoid bevel generally yields a lower shaft and lower height  in the  tunnel. It is usually offset to a width of 1/5. The straight bevel  tends to be a bit noisy.This can always be reduced through the  use of the spiral bevel. Special lubricating oils are generally used on the  surfaces.
  Rear Axle Supports Weight 
  The rear axle is part of the support  system for  the weight of the vehicle. It is also used to move the vehicle  forward. In a lot of modern day vehiclea, the rear axle is a part of ther drive  train. The axle spins freely in the axle housing. In most cases the axle  stabilzes the vehicle; it has a direct connection with the vehicle's steering.  At times, a vehicle can have more than one rear axle.If there is more than  one rear axle, this means that the vehicle has more than 4 wheels.The rear axle  lifts some of the strain of supporting the vehicle from the drive axle and  places it on a dead axle if one is present on the vehicle.
  The rear axle is located at the back  of the vehicle and is not always used as part of the drive system. Sometimes  the rear axle also includes bearings. These bearings are called axle  shafts and they initiates free movement in the drive system.The bearings are  located at either end of the axle depending of the design of the axle. Rear  axles are very complex mechanisms, and they are very important to the movements  of vehicles.