what holds the axle shaft dana44

This might be a dumb question but what is actually holding the axleshaft in place and preventing the tire fall of if we exclude the brake calipers.

I´ve been looking on axle videos and I dont get it.

The bearing and retaining collar I understand can not go out because of the bearing cup fastened to the axle plate ( not so god in all this technical english words ) but that bearing and retaining collor themself are only pressed on the axle shaft?

Is it only the presure between the bearing and axleshaft that makes the shaft to stay put?

What of the retaining ring and bearing collpase, can the shaft go out of place? I know you need a hydralic press to get the bearing in place but is that the only thing that keep the axle from finding it´s way out?

The axle nut. The three unit bearing bolts.

Is there a axle nut on the rear axle? I only see they are unbolting 4 bolts holding the "bearing plate", (that is attached to the end of the axle tube) and then they just pull out the axle with a slide hammer. Directly behind the "bearing plate" I can only see the bearing and bearing colar or what you call it. After grinding the bearing and some hits with a hammer and a tool i do not know the name of the bearing will fall of and after that also the bearing plate can slide off.

Reason This got my attention is that soner or later I think I´ve to change out the seal because I´ve a very very smal leak. There is some moist of diferential fluid behind the rotor gaurd plate so I took of the calipers, rotor to check and sure is there is some moist at the axle seal. The other side is completely dry.

At the same time I was able to fix my not working emergency brake thanks to the very nice write up here on wayalife.

The bearing is pressed on the shaft. The retaining plate goes over it and 4 bolts fasten the retainer to the housing.

Yes technically the only thing holding the axle in the housing is the bearing collar which is pressed onto the shaft, but the side loads are quite small compared to the force required to remove the collar so there is zero chance of it working its way out.

If you have a small leak from the axle you need get that fixed ASAP. I discovered mine too late and ended up having to replace the axle because it was scored by the bearing (that's what I was told by 2 shops).