ASHOK LEYLAND – “Thick Spline” — What It Means (Spare Parts Context)
In commercial vehicles like Ashok (or Leyland) trucks, especially in driveline and steering parts, the term “Thick Spline” refers to a specific type of splined shaft/yoke profile that has larger or heavier teeth on the spline section compared with a standard or thin spline. This specification is important because different spline thicknesses match different mating components — for example, larger gearboxes, heavy‑duty propeller shaft couplings, or differential inputs that require more robust torque‑transmitting surfaces.
🔧 What “Thick Spline” Means
A spline is a series of grooves (teeth) cut around a shaft that sit into matching grooves in another component (like a yoke or a coupling flange). Splines transmit torque while also guiding axial movement (e.g., in slip yokes).
Thick spline: A larger, broader set of teeth that can carry higher torque and stress — typically used on heavier duty sections of a driveline.
Thin spline: Has narrower teeth and is used where the loads and mechanical stresses are lower.
In spare parts listings, “thick splines” are often specified to ensure the part fits the correct flange/shaft profile used on a specific Leyland truck model.
📍 Where It Is Used on Leyland Trucks
Spare parts catalogues for Leyland trucks list splined yokes (used on propeller shaft assemblies, steering shaft joints, etc.) with “thick splines” to match heavier‑duty models and torque requirements. For example:
Yoke spline (30 spline, thick splines) for models like 2214, 2516, 3516, 4018 — indicating larger spline size and strength for these vehicles’ drivelines.
These thick‑spline yokes are used where the driveline must handle higher torque loads or larger shaft diameters, such as on intermediate shafts or differential connections on heavier trucks.