Abstract: A suspension for a heavy-duty vehicle includes a narrow profile skirt-type hanger with a unitized bolster beam extending laterally beneath the chassis between hangers at opposite sides of the vehicle, an axle seat assembly rigidly secured to the axle with a torque arm resiliently connected thereto at a pair of spaced-apart locations, the forward end of the torque arm being pivotally mounted to the bolster beam at the hanger assembly, and an outboard mounted air spring mounted outboard of the chassis between the axle seat assembly and an upper spring mount. A second embodiment of the suspension includes an overslung axle seat assembly rigidly secured to a trunnion rod, offset from a stub-axle supporting the wheel. A second bolster beam extends laterally between axle seat assemblies at opposite sides of the vehicle, such that both the first and second bolster beams and the trunnion rod extending laterally underneath the chassis between like suspensions on the opposite side of the vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicle suspension system having a longitudinally extending beam assembly with a medial section connected to the vehicle axle, a forward end that provides a spring seat for a front air spring, and a rearward end that provides a spring seat for a rear air spring. The air springs are outriggered by mounting brackets that project outboard of the beam assembly. Upper outboard projecting mounting brackets are connected to the vehicle chassis. The beam assembly has a special stepped configuration to avoid interference with existing vehicle components while providing the desired distribution of loads between the air springs. The suspension system incorporates two air springs and two shock absorbers on each side of the vehicle. A parallelogram is provided by upper and lower torque rods. The lower torque rod is of large cross section to provide increased strength and to allow for mounting on large heavy-duty bushings so that the torque rod can transfer push and pull loads.

Abstract: A vehicle suspension system for suspending a vehicle from an axle may be used on a steering axle and includes resilient members, such as two air springs, on opposite longitudinal sides of the axle and supported on seats suspended from the ends of a beam. The beam is connected at its center to the axle. The air springs are are connected to hangers that are mounted to the vehicle chassis. The hangers for the air springs include spaced opposed surfaces that allow a longitudinal sway guide to pass between and be transversely restrained by the surfaces. One end of the sway guide is pivotally attached to a hanger on the chassis and the other end to a shackle. The sway guide comprises a small number of spring leaves that can flex but that are not adequate for load bearing, so almost all of the chassis load is on the air springs. The assembly can be installed as original equipment or retrofit to existing equipment. The beam may be inclined to provide caster to the axle.

Abstract: An air ride suspension having a step spring pivotally mounted from a front hanger by a universal bushing mount. A vertical step positions the trailing end of the step spring below the leading end and supports a transverse bolster beam for connection to the lower side of an air spring. The upper side of the air spring is connected to a seat that is fastened to the vehicle chassis. All the fasteners are bolts so that the suspension system can be readily used as a conversion for a vehicle suspension system. The air spring preferably supports two-thirds of the axle load with about one-third distributed to the step spring.

Abstract: A vehicle suspension system incorporating an air spring for installation on a vehicle that already has a leaf spring suspension system. The air spring suspension system is supported at an end of the leaf spring assembly and it has a spring seat connected to a shackle that is connected to an end of the leaf spring assembly. A transverse bolster rail allows the air spring assembly to have a wide base mount laterally outboard of the vehicle chassis and the leaf spring suspension. A cross radius rod prevents transverse movements of the axle. A sway bar connected between the left and right side air spring suspension assemblies rigidizes and stabilizes the suspension system.

Abstract: A steerable fork mount that is pre-assembleable and compact comprising a fork having a top and two depending pedestals that are rigidly formed together, that are relatively short in the fore and aft direction, with a rocker beam at the bottom, rockable about a vertical stub shaft supported on each pedestal and providing an arrangement to support a spring mounted between the rocker beam and the pedestal, and with an arrangement to make the pedestal structure extremely rigid and strong, particularly in the transmission of the displacement forces from the wheel to the spindle mount.

Abstract: A suspension assembly for supporting a vehicle chassis from at least one vehicle axle has a pair of outrigger bracket members extending into the wheel house area of the chassis, a bolster beam bolted to the axle with outrigger members extending into the wheel house area of the chassis and aligned with the outrigger brackets, and an air spring mounted and extending between each of the outrigger members and brackets to provide a suspension with an increased lateral distance between the spring members on opposite sides of the vehicle. Parallelogram stabilization of each axle is provided by a torque rod mounted at the point of attachment of the bolster beam to the axle with a torque rod having an offset and extending forwardly to a hanger assembly mounted in offset fashion to avoid interference with the vertical deflection of the bolster beam.

Abstract: A suspension system for a drive axle includes a torque beam fixedly secured to the axle, one or two air springs extending between the torque beam and the chassis, and a universal joint comprised of two transversely mounted rubber bushings mounting the forward end of the torque beam to the chassis. The torque beam may be overslung or underslung from the axle, and the universal joint mounted with its transverse bushing substantially on the same horizontal center line as the axle. The drive axle suspension may also have a beam guide mounted to the torque beam and extending upwardly adjacent the chassis frame, or a cross radius rod to limit lateral movement. Another embodiment of the suspension is for a steer axle which has a straight torque beam and either an outboard beam guide or an aft vertical rail guide to limit the lateral displacement of the suspension with respect to the chassis.

Abstract: An air ride, high axle lift tandem comprising two stub-axle mountings each with an air spring and a hydraulic cylinder to lift the stub axle and all mounted upon a single pedestal in a manner to be so compact and simple as to enable the entire assembly to be sold as a unit as, for example, in a kit.

Abstract: A suspension assembly for supporting a vehicle chassis from at least one vehicle axle has a pair of outrigger bracket members extending into the wheel house area of the chassis, a bolster beam bolted to the axle with outrigger members extending into the wheel house area of the chassis and aligned with the outrigger brackets, and an air spring mounted and extending between each of the outrigger members and brackets to provide a suspension with an increased lateral distance between the spring members on opposite sides of the vehicle. Parallelogram stabilization of each axle is provided by a torque rod mounted at the point of attachment of the bolster beam to the axle with a torque rod having an offset and extending forwardly to a hanger assembly mounted in offset fashion to avoid interference with the vertical deflection of the bolster beam.

Abstract: A suspension assembly for supporting a vehicle chassis from at least one vehicle axle is adapted for use on a steering axle and includes an integrally formed stool type axle seat with an outrigger extension member extending into the wheel well area, an inner extension member with bracket members to pivotally attach a sway bar, and a lower extension member with bracket members to pivotally attach a pair of torque rods. An upper frame extension member extends into the wheel well area and aligns with the outrigger member of the stool axle seat so that an air spring may be mounted and extend between them. A hanger assembly is mounted forwardly of the axle seat and has a U-shaped bracket to pivotally support the forward end of each of the two torque rods.

Abstract: A first embodiment of a suspension supports a vehicle from a drive axle and includes a forward hanger and a rearward hanger depending downwardly from the chassis, an axle seat assembly attaching the suspension to the axle, a first torque arm pivotally connected between the axle seat asssembly and the forward hanger, a second torque arm pivotally connected between the axle seat assembly and the rear hanger, a central elastomer spring mounted between opposing surfaces of the torque arms, and an upper radius rod pivotally connected and extending between the forward hanger and axle seat assembly to form a parallelogram with the first torque arm to control and stabilize the axle. A second embodiment of the same suspension mounts a vehicle chassis to a steer axle with the radius rod being offset inwardly and the axle seat being mounted to the top of the steer axle to accommodate space limitations.

Abstract: A first embodiment of a leaf spring suspension assembly for a tractor trailer or the like having single or multiple axles includes a first and second hanger with a camelback spring slidingly secured to an axle bracket assembly with a single torque rod extending between the forward hanger and the axle bracket assembly to stabilize same and prevent axle wind up or wheel hopping. In a multiple axle vehicle, a pivoting type equalizer is mounted between leaf springs and provides the bearing support for an end of each spring. In a second embodiment, an equalizer is supported from the chassis member by an elastomeric spring member with a shock absorber dampening the oscillation thereof. The equalizer is stabilized in the fore and aft direction by a mounting bracket and web assembly within which the mounting bracket extends, and a telescoping tube assembly vertically aligned and surrounding the shock absorber to permit vertical movement but restrict fore and aft movement of same.

Abstract: A suspension assembly for a truck type vehicle comprises a trunnion shaft rotatably mounted to the axle with a pair of spring supports mounted to the trunnion shaft, a pair of coil springs extending between the spring supports and the chassis, a pair of torque rods rotatably mounted and extending between a chassis member and the axle seat, and a torsion roll bar pivotally connected to and extending between the suspension on each side of the vehicle and the chassis frame. In an alternate embodiment, a single piece axle seat and spring support assembly is bolted to the axle for mounting of the springs.

Abstract: A suspension system for a drive axle includes an angular torque beam fixedly secured to the axle, one or two air springs extending between the torque beam and the chassis, and a universal joint comprised of two transversely mounted rubber bushings mounting the forward end of the torque beam to the chassis. The drive axle suspension may also have a beam guide mounted to the torque beam and extending upwardly adjacent the chassis frame, or a cross radius rod to limit lateral movement. Another embodiment of the suspension is for a steer axle which has a straight torque beam and either an outboard beam guide or an aft vertical rail guide to limit the lateral displacement of the suspension with respect to the chassis.

Abstract: A first embodiment of a suspension supports a vehicle from a drive axle and includes a forward hanger and a rearward hanger depending downwardly from the chassis, an axle seat assembly attaching the suspension to the axle, a first torque arm pivotally connected between the axle seat assembly and the forward hanger, a second torque arm pivotally connected between the axle seat assembly and the rear hanger, a central elastomer spring mounted between opposing surfaces of the torque arms, and an upper radius rod pivotally connected and extending between the forward hanger and axle seat assembly to form a parallelogram with the first torque arm to control and stabilize the axle. A second embodiment of the same suspension mounts a vehicle chassis to a steer axle with the radius rod being offset inwardly and the axle seat being mounted to the top of the steer axle to accommodate space limitations.

Abstract: A vehicle suspension of a type generally disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,801,086, especially adapted to drop-frame vehicles, wherein a torque beam is formed to straddle the frame of the vehicle and be attached through a resilient bushing to the web of the frame, all of which gives a controlled spring to the vehicle as well as an accommodation for the tilting of the axle about a longitudinal axis of the vehicle.

Abstract: A first embodiment of a leaf spring suspension assembly for a tractor trailer or the like having single or multiple axles includes a first and second hanger with a camelback spring slidingly secured to an axle bracket assembly with a single torque rod extending between the forward hanger and the axle bracket assembly to stabilize same and prevent axle wind up or wheel hopping. In a multiple axle vehicle, a pivoting type equalizer is mounted between leaf springs and provides the bearing support for an end of each spring. In a second embodiment, an equalizer is supported from the chassis member by an elastomeric spring member with a shock absorber dampening the oscillation thereof. The equalizer is stabilized in the fore and aft direction by a mounting bracket and web assembly within which the mounting bracket extends, and a telescoping tube assembly vertically aligned and surrounding the shock absorber to permit vertical movement but restrict fore and aft movement of same.

Abstract: A stabilized axle seat for mounting a suspension in cantilever fashion from an axle for a nonpowered vehicle prevents axle windup as the brakes are applied and yet permits limited oscillation of the axle to follow the varying contour of the road. The stabilized axle seat includes two spaced apart axle brackets, each bracket having an ear extending along the side of the torque rod to provide a location at which a bushing may extend through the torque rod and to each axle bracket. A main bushing directly below the axle and connecting the end of the torque rod to the axle brackets provides a second location at which the axle brackets are pivotally mounted to the torque rod. Each of the spaced apart bushings has an elastomeric member which permits limited oscillation of the axle seat and axle to more closely follow the varying contour of the road and provide a smoother and safer ride.

Abstract: A vehicle suspension of a type generally disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,801,086, especially adapted to dropframe vehicles, wherein a torque beam is formed to straddle the frame of the vehicle and be attached through a resilient bushing to the web of the frame, all of which gives a controlled spring to the vehicle as well as an accommodation for the tilting of the axle about a longitudinal axis of the vehicle.