Abstract: A tandem axle vehicle suspension system which includes a rear axle mount that is automatically moveable between a forward caster and rearward caster position of the axle mount relative to the suspension system to cause self-steering of the rearward axle when the vehicle is operated to move forwardly and rearwardly, respectively.

Abstract: The present invention provides a tandem axle suspension of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,741,553, for use with trailer tag axles with structural modifications being made thereto adapting the tandem axle suspension of the present invention for use with a vehicle having a tandem pair of drive axles. The suspension includes a torque spring bracket that enables torque springs to be easily assembled to or disassembled from the suspension assembly, the spring bracket being equally well suited for tandem axle suspensions as single axle suspensions.

Abstract: The present invention provides a tandem axle suspension of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,741,553, for use with trailer tag axles with structural modifications being made thereto adapting the tandem axle suspension of the present invention for use with a vehicle having a tandem pair of drive axles. The suspension includes a torque spring bracket that enables torque springs to be easily assembled to or disassembled from the suspension assembly, the spring bracket being equally well suited for tandem axle suspensions as well as single axle suspensions.

Abstract: A tandem axle vehicle suspension is provided which, in variant embodiments, employs one or two torque beams each supporting an axle of a tandem axle vehicle and each pivotally connected to a load compensator where a single elastomer spring is mounted between each torque beam and compensator and is subjected to both compression and shear forces during over-the-road operation.

Abstract: A split-type axle bracket is provided that is secured to a vehicle axle housing and extends downward over opposite lateral sides of a vehicle suspension torque beam, equalizer beam, or compensator beam and bushing. The axle bracket is secured to opposite lateral ends of the beam bushing on opposite lateral sides of the beam by a pair of releasable clamps. The clamps are secured to the depending legs of the bracket over the opposite lateral ends of the beam bushing. The pair of clamps are easily disassembled from the depending legs of the bracket to remove the beam and bushing from its connection to the axle bracket.

Abstract: A torque beam assembly is provided with a bushing clamp assembly at one end and an axle seat assembly at a second end that reduce the torsional stress exerted on the torque beam during normal suspension operation of a vehicle employing the torque beam assembly. The bushing clamp is formed as a cylinder having a slot through one side of the cylinder wall that is resiliently biased open to facilitate the insertion of a pivot bushing into the cylinder and the removal of the bushing from the cylinder. The pivot bushing is provided with troughs in its end walls and cavities that extend into the bushing from the troughs that together reduce torsional twisting stress exerted on the torque beam. The axle seat assembly is provided with inboard and outboard side plates that each have first ends connected to the torque beam and second ends that are flared outward and spaced further apart from each other than are the first ends.

Abstract: An active, frequency damping suspension system for vehicles having a chassis and at least one axle comprises a pneumatic spring connected mechanically between the vehicle axle and the vehicle chassis to absorb vertical movements of the vehicle axle and prevent them from being transmitted to the chassis, a hydraulic shock absorber connected between the vehicle axle and the vehicle chassis to dampen the vertical movements of the vehicle axle, and a pressure accumulator in fluid communication with the air spring or in fluid communication with both the air spring and the hydraulic shock absorber for enhancing the cushioning effect of the air spring on vertical movements of the vehicle axle and enhancing the dampening effect of the shock absorber on vertical movements of the axle.

Abstract: A tandem axle suspension system distributes a vehicle load asymmetrically to a drive and drag axle of a vehicle, the system comprises a compensator member that is pivotally connected between a front axle seat supporting the vehicle drive axle and a hanger member suspended beneath the vehicle chassis, and a torque beam member that is pivotally connected between the compensator member and a rear axle seat supporting the vehicle drag axle.

Abstract: A suspension system having a torque beam with a bushing for connecting the torque beams to a hanger. The torque beam can be telescopingly received in a sleeve of an axle seat assembly. There are a number of different axle seat assemblies for accommodating various vehicles but all have the sleeve so that one form of torque beam can be used with any one of the axle seat assemblies. The bushing has strategically located recesses to facilitate flow of the bushing member and to make it more yieldable in a vertical direction than in a longitudinal direction. An annular groove in the outer wall of the bushing also improves flow under compression of the bushing member. The telescoping connection between the torque beam and an axle seat assembly may include knock-away components to facilitate breaking the components apart in the event they become rusted together.

Abstract: A vehicle suspension system having a torque beam pivotally supported from the vehicle chassis and an axle seat assembly connected to an axle with a telescoping connection between the torque rod beam and the axle seat assembly. The axle seat assembly has a telescoping component with slots in its side walls separating the telescoping component into separable sections. Flanges on the upper and lower sections can be connected by bolts. Bars on the torque beam extend through the slots and also can be connected by the bolts. Spaces are provided to span the distance between the bar and the upper and lower flanges to prevent bending of the flanges when the bolts are tightened.

Abstract: A suspension system has a lower torque rod with a forward end pivotally connected to a hanger and a rearward end pivotally connected to an axle seat assembly. An upper torque rod has a forward end pivotally connected to the chassis intermediate the sides thereof and a rearward end pivotally connected to the axle. Forward and rearward air springs are mounted between the axle seat assembly and the chassis fore and aft of the axle. The upper torque rod functions as the upper arm of a parallelogram and as a lateral stabilizer bar. The upper torque rod and a like torque rod on the opposite side of the vehicle cooperate with the axle to define an A-frame, but the connection of the upper torque rod to the chassis is independent of said opposite torque rod.

Abstract: A suspension system incorporating upper and lower torque rods pivotally connected between a hanger and an axle seat. The upper torque rod is preferably a hydraulic cylinder and piston assembly, the length of which is adjustable between extended and retracted conditions. In the extended condition, the upper torque rod pivots the axle to a forward pitch at which it is self-steering when the vehicle is driven forward. In the retracted condition, the upper torque rod pivots the axle to a negative pitch condition in which it is self-steering when the vehicle is operated in reverse. The hydraulic cylinder and piston assembly can be operated by the driver such as when the gears are shifted between forward and reverse. A lift spring is mounted between a plate on the hanger and a plate on the lower torque rod. The lift spring is positioned within a pocket defined on the hanger.

Abstract: A suspension assembly for a vehicle that has a rear-mounted engine and a longitudinal frame member and an axle below the frame member with a bolster beam connected to the axle and air springs connected between the ends of the bolster beam and the frame member. There are outrigger members to locate the air springs outboard for better stability. An upper torque rod and a lower torque rod are arranged parallel to one another and are connected between a bracket assembly on the bolster beam and a bracket assembly supported by the frame member. The torque rods are staggered from one another in three planes. The upper torque rod is forward of the lower torque rod and is outboard of the lower torque rod. Likewise, the forward ends of the torque rods are outboard of the rearward ends. This arrangement significantly enhances the overall stability of the suspension system.

Abstract: A suspension assembly for a steering axle wherein a fabricated axle seat is welded to a fabricated torque rod bracket, and torque rods arranged in a parallelogram are pivotally connected to the torque rod bracket. The end of a sway bar is also connected to the torque rod bracket to provide lateral stability. A single air spring is mounted directly over the axle. The torque rods are also pivotally supported by a hanger and hangers on opposite sides of the vehicle are connected together by a cross channel brace.

Abstract: A hanger depending downwardly from a side of the chassis supports a torque beam and a lift spring which is mounted between a plate and the torque beam. A cross channel assembly is connected between the hangers of opposite sides of the vehicle. The forward central portion of a wishbone stabilizer assembly is connected to the center of the channel assembly by a special resilient spring and bushing assembly. The wishbone stabilizer assembly has diverging arms. The rearward end of each arm is journalled on a bushing assembly that is mounted in an axle seat assembly. Similarly, the rearward end of the torque beam is journalled on a bushing assembly that is also mounted in the axle seat assembly, and in a longitudinal direction, the stabilizer arm and the torque beam act as a parallelogram to stabilize the axle seat and maintain the pitch of the axle. An air spring is mounted between the axle seat and the chassis and is located directly above the axle.

Abstract: A suspension system having a self-contained air lift spring located within the confines of a hanger. A torque beam and axle seat assembly is pivotally supported by the hanger. An axle load air spring is mounted between the torque beam and axle seat assembly and the chassis. The air lift spring is mounted between a fixed wall on the hanger and a movable wall connected to the torque rod and axle seat assembly. The fixed wall is generally vertical and the movable wall projects upwardly with the axis of the lift air spring being generally horizontal.

Abstract: A suspension assembly having a hanger with a stub bolster beam. Gusset bracing and a cross channel member of small cross section provide strength and rigidity and accommodate large vehicle components in the area of the suspension assembly.

Abstract: A vehicle suspension assembly for tandem drive axles has a suspension system for each axle. Each suspension system incorporates two lower torque beams on each side of the vehicle and a single central upper torque rod. A central hanger is mounted between the two axles. The lower torque beams are pivotally connected between the hanger and an axle seat. A straddle bracket connects the axle to the axle seat in a hinged fashion. The upper central torque rod is connected between the upper side of the axle housing and the chassis. The lower torque beams act as a parallelogram to stabilize the axle seat. They also act together with a portion of the axle seat as a composite lower torque rod cooperating with the upper torque rod to stabilize the axle.

Abstract: A suspension system including a leaf spring assembly associated with a forward vehicle axle and an air spring suspension assembly associated with a rear axle with an articulated connection between them, such as by way of a shackle. The air spring suspension assembly includes a rocker arm pivotally supported from the chassis. A torque rod and beam assembly is pivotally supported from the chassis and is connected to the axle. An air spring is mounted between the torque rod and beam assembly and a rocker arm. The rocker arm has angled sections allowing accommodation of either wide base or narrow base air spring positions. Other angled sections of the rocker arm position the mounting bushing generally on a line between the air spring and the shackle to center the load on the bushing.

Abstract: A suspension system having a torque beam pivotally connected to a bushing supported by a hanger and an axle seat having a linear bushing mount to the torque beam to provide a universal pivot at the axle seat. In one embodiment there is another bushing between the torque rod and the axle seat so that the entire universal pivot is at the axle seat. In another embodiment, the universal pivot is provided partly by the torque rod connection to the hanger and partly by the connection between the axle seat and the torque rod. In two other embodiments, identical components allow installation of a suspension system to a tag axle or a steer axle except that a special tower is provided for the steer axle installation to give clearance between the vehicle frame and the wheel. Two additional embodiments have an overslung axle seat and in one, the torque beam and axle seat are outboard of the chassis.