A system and method for manufacturing a top mount for a vehicle suspension includes providing a top mount body having a bushing opening and a plurality of stud holes, a plurality of knurled studs, and a bushing having a thermoplastic outer shell, a rubber core, and a central washer. The knurled studs are inserted in the stud holes of the top mount body. Then, substantially simultaneously, a pressure is applied to the knurled studs to press the knurled studs into the top mount body to crimp the knurled studs in the stud holes of the top mount body, and to insert the bushing into the bushing opening of the top mount body.

A system and method for manufacturing a top mount for a vehicle suspension includes loading a top mount body, a journal, and a plurality of knurled studs into a lower die assembly. The lower die assembly includes a stationary die base, a floating die top, and a pusher shaft. A pusher head assembly applies a downward pressure to insert the knurled studs into the top mount body, while the pusher shaft substantially simultaneously applies an upward pressure to insert the journal into the top mount body. The floating die top and the pusher head assembly are raised in tandem to eject the top mount from the stationary die base. The floating die top and the pusher head assembly then retract so that the top mount can be removed from the system.

The disclosure comprises a method for producing a sleeve-like passage for a bearing accommodation in a metallic wheel control arm of a vehicle. The method may include placing a wheel control arm end of the wheel control arm onto a pressing plate of a pressing tool; and forming a tapered wall in the wheel control arm end and a circumferential collar around the tapered wall in the wheel control arm end, wherein the forming comprises pressing the wheel control arm end against the pressing plate using a pressing punch, wherein a volume of metal of the wheel control arm end is displaced into a circumferential cavity due to the pressing of the wheel control arm end against the pressing plate,; and perforating the tapered wall to obtain the sleeve-like passage.

A hold and drive tool for driving a target nut on a target threaded stud is provided. The target threaded stud includes a first end, a second end, and a recess defined within the first end. The hold and drive tool includes a motorized drive unit, a drive head portion coupled to the motorized drive unit and comprising: a socket; a non-rotatable torque arrest member substantially aligned with a central axis of the socket; and a retracting mechanism coupled to the non-rotatable torque arrest member and configured to move the non-rotatable torque arrest member, relative to the socket, along the central axis of the socket.

The suspension assembly mounting method includes: a step of mounting the suspension assembly on a pallet having a support body and a movable member relatively movable with respect to the support body, so as to fix the base body to the support body and engage the arm member with the movable member; a step of causing the movable member to press the arm member upward so that the suspension assembly becomes a position where its own weight load equivalent to the vehicle body weight is applied; a step of lifting the pallet from under the vehicle body and contacting the suspension assembly to the vehicle body; a step of raising the pallet while stopping the movable member from pressing after the contacting; and a vehicle mount step of mounting the suspension assembly on the vehicle body while causing the movable member to press the arm member upward.

The twist axle assembly includes a pair of spaced apart trailing arms and a twist beam which is made of a single piece and is operably connected with the trailing arms. The twist beam has a top wall, a bottom wall and a pair of side walls. The twist beam presents a pair of end portions which are bent to present edges that face towards one another when viewed in cross-section, and the twist beam presents a middle portion which extends between the end portions. The middle portion has an opening with a generally elliptical shape formed into the bottom wall for reducing a torsion stiffness of the middle portion of the twist beam in comparison to the end portions.

This disclosure relates to methods for obtaining a suspension arm for automotive vehicles, wherein certain embodiments comprise obtaining two identical parts to form a body, where each part is obtained by means of: a) cutting a metal or composite sheet forming a base plane, such that a central segment and two ends are defined, b) drawing at least one hole in each end, c) stamping each part forming in its central segment two flanges consisting of a first flange and a second flange located on opposite sides of the central segment and oriented perpendicular to the base plane, where said flanges have an asymmetrical arrangement with respect to a midplane passing through the geometric centers of the holes of the two ends and is perpendicular to the base plane, the second flange being separated from the midplane a distance equal to the separation of the first flange from the midplane plus a distance at least equal to the value of the thickness of the sheet or plate.

The current invention discloses a thrust lever ball head assembly comprising a thrust lever ball hinge and a thrust lever ball head. The thrust lever ball head comprises a main body of the thrust lever ball head and flange structures on both sides of the main body of the thrust lever ball head, wherein the flange structures and the main body of the thrust lever ball head are an integral part, and the flange structures on both sides of the main body of the thrust lever ball head work together with the thrust lever ball hinge to limit the thrust lever ball hinge inside the thrust lever ball head. The thrust lever ball head assembly of the present invention has a simple structure, high assembling efficiency, low manufacture costs, light weight, free of maintenance and completely fulfills the requirements of light weight.

An adjustable locator includes an adjuster plate that communicates with an upper section of a damper to affect a relative orientation between the damper and a knuckle during assembly. A guide body is disposed at an opposite side of the adjuster plate from the damper, and a shim is configured for insertion between the adjuster plate and the guide body. Insertion of the shim causes the adjuster plate to change the relative orientation between the damper and the knuckle. A biasing device is configured to bias the guide body toward the damper and thereby fix the shim between the guide body and the adjuster plate, such that applying a force to the guide body that is greater than the biasing force of the spring in a direction opposite to the biasing force of the spring enables the shim to be removed from between the guide body and the adjuster plate.

A damper rod bushing operatively connects an end member of a gas spring and a damper rod of a damper to at least partially form a gas spring and damper assembly. The damper rod bushing is constructed for exposure to gas pressure within a spring chamber of a gas spring and damper assembly such that pre-load forces due to gas pressure within said spring chamber act on said damper rod bushing. The damper rod bushing can include an outer support element, an inner support element and an elastomeric connector element operatively connected between the outer and inner support elements such that a substantially fluid-tight seal is formed therebetween. A gas spring and damper assembly including such a damper rod bushing, as well as a suspension system including one or more of such gas spring and damper assemblies and a method of assembly are also included.