The drive axle is the unit where ordering mistakes happen most easily. The reason is mundane: the number on the plate is almost never written the way it is stamped on the metal. Every manufacturer has its own convention, and the catalogues are indexed by that convention, not by what the customer sees.
Below we show how to turn the plate number into the code parts are actually searched by, and list the axle and gearbox series found in construction and agricultural machinery. If you are not sure where to look for the plate in the first place, start with How to read the nameplate on a hydraulic pump or motor — the rules for locating a plate apply to axles too.
How to write down the number from the plate
This is the most important part of this article. The three most common systems work in completely different ways.
Dana Spicer and Clark-Hurth
On the plate the number is written with slashes. In the catalogues the slashes become spaces, and any group shorter than three digits is padded with a leading zero.
- Plate reads 276/67, you search for 276 067.
- Plate reads 357/212/302, you search for 357 212 302.
- Plate reads 730/503, you search for 730 503.
The rule is simple: two digits after a slash become three, three digits stay as they are.
Carraro
A Carraro plate carries a barcode with a string of digits above it. Identification uses the first six digits above the barcode, for example 386461. That is the production order number and it ties the axle to one specific configuration.
Separately the plate carries a type designation such as 26.16M or 20.29SI. That gives size and version, useful as supporting information, but the type alone is not enough, because the same type was produced in many ratio and equipment variants.
ZF
A ZF number is written without spaces, for example 4472039054 or 4472004073. A mixed format with letters and a dash also occurs, such as 1214FT16000-33. In that case copy it exactly as it appears on the plate.
Carraro axle and transmission series
A Carraro designation reads as two numbers separated by a dot. The first is the design range, the second the size. Trailing letters describe the version.
Range 20: 20.09VL, 20.11, 20.14, 20.16, 20.18, 20.19, 20.22, 20.25, 20.26, 20.29, 20.32, 20.43, 20.45, 20.49. The most common front axles in agricultural tractors and smaller machines.
Range 26: 26.11, 26.14E, 26.16, 26.18, 26.20, 26.21, 26.22, 26.24, 26.25, 26.27, 26.28, 26.32, 26.38, 26.43. Axles for telehandlers and backhoe loaders.
Range 28: 28.19, 28.20, 28.21, 28.25, 28.28, 28.38, 28.43, 28.44. Axles for heavier machines.
Common version suffixes: M is a modified version, FR a front axle, SI and S versions with integrated wet brakes, ACP a version with a pump, UP a reinforced build, LP a lowered one, VL a reduced ground clearance version, SD a special build.
Transmissions and special axles: the TB series in sizes TB135, TB172, TB200 and TB283, the TLB1 and TLB2 series in 4WD, 4WS, MPB, SPS and CD builds, then 506, 506UP and 506HD, the HS6.04 and HS6.06 transmissions, and G20.16 and 00.16.
Axles for forklifts and platforms: ASP100, ASP125, ALPP100, ALPP125, FLS4.2.
Dana Spicer and Clark-Hurth
Here identification rests on the number, not on a range name. The numbers cluster into families, and the first group of digits already tells you a great deal.
Axles, number families: 100 to 114, 123, 141 to 144, 150 and 151, 162 and 163, 171 to 177, 184, 192 and 193, 196 to 201, 210 to 213, 221 to 223, 244, 262 and 263, 270 to 279, 295, 300 to 319, 336, 350 to 360, 367, 400 to 420, 450, 602 and 603, 702 to 770, 800, 872, 952, 970.
Range designations found alongside the number: 002S, 004F, 010RSD, 015RSD, 020VSD, 025, 030A, 030SSD, 045JDS, 050SLH, 060BP, 070BP.
Agricultural axles: AG50CDV, AG65SD, AG70CDS, AG75CD, AG75SD, AG85, AG85CD, AG85SD, AG105, AG125CD, AG155, AG155CD, AG200. Then NG100FN, NG250CD, NG350, NG360CD, and RC30CDF and RC30CDR.
Powershift transmissions: 1102T12461, 1106FT12324, 1106T12461, 1111FT16000, 1117FT16000, 1120VDT12464, 1120FT12456, 1201FT20302, 1205FT20307, 1207FT20303, 1214FT16000, 1217FT16000, 1242FLPS09590, 1245FLPS09590.
HR and TE series transmissions: designations such as 11.2HR18303, 12.6HR18302, 13.1HR28344, 13.5HR28422, 13.9HR24651, 15.5LHR34653, 15.5TE27418, 15.7TE32418, 3016FHR32661, 3018FHR24321. The number before the letters is the size, the rest describes the build.
Transfer cases: DS17I, DS17SD, DS19K.
ZF
ZF uses ten digit catalogue numbers written without spaces. In construction and agricultural machinery the families you will meet most often begin with:
- 4472, 4474 and 4475, axles and final drives,
- 4460, 4464, 4466, 4468, 4469, transmissions and driveline components,
- 4616, 4620, 4642, 4644, 4646, 4651, 4656, 4657, 4663, 4665, 4699, gearboxes,
- 4108, 4112, 4130, 4139, 4143, 4145, 4149, 4161, control components and ancillaries,
- 1058 to 1367 and 2068 to 2098, older designs,
- 5092, 5838, 5871, 6042, 6090, special builds.
With ZF it is especially important to copy the whole number. The last two digits separate builds that look identical from the outside but carry different ratios and different internal parts.
Ratio, the detail most often forgotten
With hydraulic pumps displacement is the critical figure. With axles it is the ratio. The same axle type was produced in several ratio variants depending on the machine it was built for.
The practical consequence is that gears, shafts and repair kits are not interchangeable between variants, despite an identical type designation. So always quote the full plate number in an enquiry, never the type designation alone.
If the ratio is not on the plate, you can count it: turn the input shaft and count how many full turns it takes for one turn of the wheel. Send us that figure and it is enough to narrow the variant down.
When the plate is unreadable
Axle plates deteriorate faster than any others, because they sit low and work in mud. In that case collect:
- numbers cast or stamped directly into the axle housing and the differential cover,
- photos of the axle from both sides and from the drive input side,
- machine make, model, year of manufacture and serial number,
- the ratio, if you managed to count it,
- whether the axle has wet brakes, a differential lock and steering hubs.
With that set identification is practically always possible, because a given machine model carried a handful of axle builds, not dozens.
You have the number. What next
Check availability in the relevant category:
If the number could not be recovered, send us photos and machine details and we will identify the part from those. We source parts for units outside the catalogue as well. Contact details and the enquiry form are on our Contact page.
Looking for hydraulic pump and motor designations? The full list of series is in Hydraulic pump and motor series. Manufacturer designations.
Frequently asked questions
How do I write down a Dana Spicer number with slashes?
Replace the slashes with spaces and pad two digit groups with a leading zero. A plate reading 276/67 becomes 276 067, and 730/503 becomes 730 503.
Which number on a Carraro plate is the right one?
The first six digits above the barcode, for example 386461. A type designation such as 26.16M is supporting information and is not sufficient on its own.
Is a ZF number written with spaces?
No, without spaces, for example 4472039054. If the number contains letters and a dash, such as 1214FT16000-33, copy it exactly in that form.
Why does the ratio matter so much?
The same axle type was produced in several ratio variants. Gears and repair kits are not interchangeable between them, even when the axle looks identical.
I only have the machine make and model, is that enough?
Usually yes, though it needs extra verification. A single machine model typically carried several axle variants depending on the production year, so the year and the machine serial number help.