An exemplary assembly includes a cylinder, a piston, and a lock. The lock is transitionable between an unlocked position that permits extension and retraction of the piston relative to the cylinder, and a locked position that limits retraction of the piston relative to the cylinder. The lock is blocked from transitioning from the locked to the unlocked position when a load supported by the piston exceeds a threshold load. An exemplary method includes transitioning a lock from an unlocked to a locked position. The lock in the unlocked position permits extension and retraction of a piston relative to a cylinder. The lock in the locked position limits retraction of the piston relative to the cylinder. The method further includes holding the lock in the locked position using a load supported by the piston that exceeds a threshold load.

A lift kit having front and rear coils improves the post-installation handling characteristics of a vehicle on which the lift kit is installed.

A lift kit having front and rear coils improves the post-installation handling characteristics of a vehicle on which the lift kit is installed.

A hydraulic shock absorber includes a control valve. The control valve includes a valve seat formed with a closing face, a valve body configured to come into contact with the closing face, and a valve shaft configured to transmit an operation force applied from a driving unit to the valve body. The control valve is defined with an upstream side flow channel extending from an inlet coupled to the upper end opening, via a space in which the valve body moves, to the closing face, and a downstream side flow channel extending from the closing face to an outlet. The control valve is disposed above the cylinder so that a central axis of the valve shaft is inclined relative to a central axis of the vehicle body side tube and the wheel side tube.

A hydraulic shock absorber includes a control valve. The control valve includes a valve seat formed with a closing face, a valve body configured to come into contact with the closing face, and a valve shaft configured to transmit an operation force applied from a driving unit to the valve body. The control valve is defined with an upstream side flow channel extending from an inlet coupled to the upper end opening, via a space in which the valve body moves, to the closing face, and a downstream side flow channel extending from the closing face to an outlet. The control valve is disposed above the cylinder so that a central axis of the valve shaft is inclined relative to a central axis of the vehicle body side tube and the wheel side tube.

The present invention is a system for adjusting the height of vehicles. The vehicle is supported by a hollow cylinder and a piston having an undersized piston skirt is mounted on the suspension system's coil spring, and sealingly slidable within the cylinder bore. When a fluid is introduced into the expandable pressure space between the piston and the cylinder top, the piston and cylinder are forced apart, raising the vehicle. The undersized piston skirt can extend beyond the end of the cylinder, allowing the piston a greater travel length within the cylinder bore. The invention may be operated manually by a vehicle driver through push buttons, which can be the vehicle's existing cruise control buttons. Alternatively, the system can be automated using a control unit to automatically adjust ground clearance to avoid collision with obstacles in the vehicle's path. In another embodiment, the lift system, or any lift system, is prevented from activating, and deactivates (if previously activated) if the vehicle is travelling at excessive speed.

The present invention is a system for adjusting the height of vehicles. The vehicle is supported by a hollow cylinder and a piston having an undersized piston skirt is mounted on the suspension system's coil spring, and sealingly slidable within the cylinder bore. When a fluid is introduced into the expandable pressure space between the piston and the cylinder top, the piston and cylinder are forced apart, raising the vehicle. The undersized piston skirt can extend beyond the end of the cylinder, allowing the piston a greater travel length within the cylinder bore. The invention may be operated manually by a vehicle driver through push buttons, which can be the vehicle's existing cruise control buttons. Alternatively, the system can be automated using a control unit to automatically adjust ground clearance to avoid collision with obstacles in the vehicle's path. In another embodiment, the lift system, or any lift system, is prevented from activating, and deactivates (if previously activated) if the vehicle is travelling at excessive speed.

A shock absorber includes a suspension spring configured to bias the shock absorber main body in an extension direction; a jack; and a spring bearing driven by the jack. The jack includes a housing and a piston. The housing includes a cylindrical portion disposed on an outer periphery of an outer shell. The piston is inserted between the outer shell and the cylindrical portion. The spring bearing has a fitting length is longer than a fitting length of the piston with the housing in a state where the piston maximally exits from the cylindrical portion.

A vehicle suspension apparatus configured for adjusting vehicle height may include a fixing device disposed at a wheel side, provided on an internal peripheral surface along its perimeter with a plurality of fixing grooves; a moving device provided to be rotatable within the fixing device, formed along its perimeter with coupling grooves corresponding to the fixing grooves and coupled such that a shock absorber moves in an up and down direction; a driving device disposed at the fixing device to transmit power; and a drive shaft provided to be rotatable within the moving device and provided with a fixing pin inserted into the coupling groove of the moving device and the fixing groove of the fixing device such that the fixing pin is disengaged from the fixing groove and remains inserted only into the coupling groove when the drive shaft rotates.

A vehicle suspension apparatus configured for adjusting vehicle height may include a fixing device disposed at a wheel side, provided on an internal peripheral surface along its perimeter with a plurality of fixing grooves; a moving device provided to be rotatable within the fixing device, formed along its perimeter with coupling grooves corresponding to the fixing grooves and coupled such that a shock absorber moves in an up and down direction; a driving device disposed at the fixing device to transmit power; and a drive shaft provided to be rotatable within the moving device and provided with a fixing pin inserted into the coupling groove of the moving device and the fixing groove of the fixing device such that the fixing pin is disengaged from the fixing groove and remains inserted only into the coupling groove when the drive shaft rotates.