Forward carrier assembly for tandem axle

The carrier assembly (130) has a pinion gear (152) operably coupled to an inter-axle differential (156). The pinion gear has a first piece (158) defining a pinion gear head (160) and a second piece (166) defining a pinion shaft (168) with a hollow center portion. The pinion shaft has an inner end for supporting the first piece and an outer end extending into an inter-axle differential assembly (134) for applying thrust load to the inter-axle differential assembly. A through-shaft (138) extends through the hollow center portion of the second piece.