Semi-floating or full-floating?
From the factory, stock axle assemblies came in either semi-floating or full-floating designs. On a semi-floating axle, the wheel attaches directly to its outer end, and the weight of the vehicle, as well as its engine power, are channeled through a single bearing set at the end of the axle. The full-floater, the stronger of the two designs, attaches the axle to a separate hub, and two larger bearing sets support the weight of the vehicle. This means that the axle is only used to drive engine power through the axle. The upside to the semi-floating axle design is that the aftermarket has responded with a full-floater conversion for almost every type of semi-floating axle.