A spindle sleeve and washer for adjusting the camber, toe, or thrust angle of a vehicle wheel to a desired predetermined angle which allows for use of existing hub and spindle assembly without permanent modification to the vehicle.

A brake assembly having a brake spider that may receive an anchor pin or a sleeve that receives an anchor pin. Features such as splines may be provided with the anchor pin to help secure the anchor pin to the brake spider or the sleeve. Engagement features may be provided with the sleeve to help secure the sleeve to the brake spider.

A one piece drum brake spider construction eliminates welds and distortion, at least relative to a typically fabricated spider, and should improve brake performance. The spider includes a main body plate having opposed flat sides, an outer perimeter, and an inner perimeter configured to receive an axle tube. Vibration control structure is preferably formed on at least one of the opposed flat sides of the main body plate, and the brake drum spider additionally includes weight minimizing features. At least the main body plate may be produced by any of a casting technique, a stamping technique, a machining technique, and an additive manufacturing technique. The invention also concerns a process of producing such a brake drum spider.

A drum brake apparatus includes: a housing; a main braking unit disposed on a first portion of the housing, and the main braking unit configured to be, during main braking, driven by a hydraulic pressure and pressing a shoe; a parking braking unit disposed on a second portion of the housing, the parking braking unit configured to be, during parking braking, driven by an electromotive force of an actuator and pressing the shoe; a first locking member configured to couple the housing to one surface of a back plate; and a second locking member configured to couple the actuator to the housing on another surface side of the back plate.

A knuckle for a heavy-duty vehicle self-steering axle/suspension system that includes integrally formed structure for mounting components of a drum brake system. The knuckle includes a spindle that is welded directly to the knuckle and a discrete tie rod arm bolted to the knuckle.

A brake lock system for a pumpjack brake apparatus comprises a latch handle lever pivotally mounted at a location on a pumpjack, a countershaft rotatably mounted on the pumpjack, latch handle linkage, and control linkage that transitions movement and force of the latch handle lever to a latch arm with a latch dog for pivoting the latch arm to insert the latch dog in a notch in the pumpjack brake apparatus. The latch handle, latch handle linkage, control linkage, and latch arm have dimensions that provide a mechanical advantage of the latch handle lever over the latch arm.

A wheel end support assembly and method of assembly. The assembly may include a spindle, a brake torque plate, and a locator bushing. The locator bushing is received in a first locator hole of the spindle and a second locator hole of the brake torque plate and aligns the brake torque plate to the spindle.

A parking brake actuation system mounted to a tail shaft of a vehicle's transmission is operably connected to a brake assembly of the vehicle having brake pads housed within a brake drum. The parking brake actuation system includes a mounting bracket coupled to the tail shaft of the vehicle's transmission, an actuator coupled to the mounting bracket, and a bell crank coupled to the tail shaft of the vehicle's transmission and the actuator, and also connected to an engagement cam by a linkage assembly. Actuation of the actuator to a retracted position permits rotational movement of the bell crank to transfer through the linkage assembly to engage the pair of brake pads with the brake drum. Actuation of the actuator to an extended position permits rotational movement of the bell crank to transfer through the linkage assembly to disengage the pair of brake pads from the brake drum.

A wheel end support assembly and method of assembly. The assembly may include a spindle, a brake torque plate, and a locator bushing. The locator bushing is received in a first locator hole of the spindle and a second locator hole of the brake torque plate and aligns the brake torque plate to the spindle.

A one piece drum brake spider construction eliminates welds and distortion, at least relative to a typically fabricated spider, and should improve brake performance. The spider includes a main body plate having opposed flat sides, an outer perimeter, and an inner perimeter configured to receive an axle tube. Vibration control structure is preferably formed on at least one of the opposed flat sides of the main body plate, and the brake drum spider additionally includes weight minimizing features. At least the main body plate may be produced by any of a casting technique, a stamping technique, a machining technique, and an additive manufacturing technique. The invention also concerns a process of producing such a brake drum spider.