A system for easily adjusting spring rate of a rear shock for mountain bikes or motorcycles without changing an actual overall spring length. The system may include a coil spring a body sized and structured to engage with the coil spring. The spring rate may be adjusted by selectively placing the body between adjacent coils of the spring to deactivate up to one spring coil adjacent the end of the spring.

A vehicle suspension having a first load-bearing component assembly and a second load-bearing component assembly. The first and second load bearing component assemblies are adapted to be transversely positioned across from each other on a vehicle chassis. Each load-bearing component assembly comprises a wheel hub, an upper control arm having an apex portion and a base portion, and a lower control arm having an apex portion and a base portion, and each wheel hub is supported between the apex portions of the upper control arm and the lower control arm of the respective load-bearing component assemblies. The base portion of each of the upper and lower control arms of the respective load-bearing component assemblies is adapted to be pivotally secured to a vehicle chassis to permit upward and downward vertical movement of each wheel hub, relative to a rest state, in response to load variations. A directionally-dependent heave spring assembly is adapted to be transversely secured to a vehicle chassis, the heave spring assembly is coupled to the first load-bearing component assembly and to the second load-bearing component assembly and exhibits resiliency in opposition to upward vertical movement of both wheel hub assemblies relative to their rest states, and exhibits substantially no resiliency in opposition to downward vertical movement of both wheel assemblies relative to their rest states.

A wheel alignment mechanism having a control arm connector, which is adapted for connection to a vehicle suspension control arm positioned between a vehicle chassis and a vehicle wheel, and which has an elongate portion; an inner support frame having a first surface and a second surface on a side of the inner support frame opposing the first surface, the elongate portion of the control arm connector positioned against the first surface at a select one of a first set of plural mounting locations on the first surface, with the first set of plural mounting locations being disposed in a first direction; and an outer support frame adapted to receive a wheel mounting, the connector having a third surface, the second surface of the inner support frame being positioned against the third surface at a select one of a second set of plural mounting locations on the third surface, and with the second set of plural mounting locations being disposed in a second direction approximately perpendicular to the first direction. Means are provided for securing the control arm connector to the inner support frame and the inner support frame to the outer support frame.

An adjustable shock absorber system includes: a coil over shock absorber with a spring and a lockable adjustment ring; a protective cover assembly, optionally including top and bottom cover portions; a shock adjuster tool with a lever arm and a tool grip portion, including a band assembly, and a tool attachment assembly, including a connector member and a tool member; such that the tool grip portion detachably connects to the peripheral mounting surface of the lockable adjustment ring; whereby the shock adjuster tool can be used to adjust a preload of the coil-over shock absorber. Alternatively, an adjustable shock absorber system includes: a coil-over shock absorber with a spring and an adjustment ring; an adjustment ring assembly, which detachably interlocks with the adjustment ring; and a shock adjuster tool with a lever arm and a tool grip portion, which detachably connects with the adjustment ring assembly.

A linking device links an aluminum side rail of a vehicle body structure and an end of a control arm that includes a cylindrical linking ring. The device remarkably includes an aluminum casting including an upper surface attached under the side rail, and a side wall from which emerges, perpendicular to an outer side surface, at least one first control arm interface including a pair of tabs separated from one another by an air-gap value greater than the length of the cylindrical ring, in order to set the end of the control arm.

A reversible, two setting preload spacer includes a body extending along an axis between a first end and a second end. The spacer also includes an opening formed through the body and extending along the axis from the first end to the second end. The opening is defined by an inner surface and configured to receive a portion of a shock tube of a shock absorber. The spacer also includes an engagement structure configured to engage a groove on the shock tube positioned on the inner surface. The engagement structure is positioned such that a first distance between the engagement structure and the first end is greater than a second distance between the engagement structure and the second end.

An apparatus for a vehicle is provided that has an axle and a spindle sleeve with a spindle sleeve inner surface axis coaxial with the axis of the axle, and a spindle sleeve outer surface axis not coaxial with the axis of the axle. A hub has an axis coaxial with the spindle sleeve outer surface axis, and the hub at least partially defines a chamber. First and second ports extend through a wall of the hub to the chamber. The hub rotates about the spindle sleeve through the aid of two bearings. Lubricant is present within the chamber, and the first port provides a pathway for a pressurized fluid to be introduced into the chamber to force the lubricant out of the chamber via the second port.

A hydraulic flow adjuster includes a first hydraulic tank, a second hydraulic tank, and a piston actuator. A first piston operates within the first hydraulic tank and a second piston operates within the second hydraulic tank. The piston actuator adjusts a relative position of the first piston in the first hydraulic tank and a relative position of the second piston position in the second hydraulic tank, such that the relative position of the first piston in the first hydraulic tank is the same as the relative position of the second piston in the second hydraulic tank.

Provided is an examination method for a damping force variable mechanism, the examination method including: an operation step of operating a damper in a state in which the damper is installed in a vehicle, the damper being provided with a damping force variable mechanism that changes a damping force according to an input current (an example of a signal); and a detection step of detecting an induction current (an example of an output from the vehicle) from the damping force variable mechanism of the damper installed in the vehicle, wherein a detection device that performs the operation of the detection step is provided. Thus, the damping force variable mechanism of a pressure damping device can be examined in a state in which the damping force variable mechanism is installed in the vehicle.

A two pillar mount for a vehicle powertrain component wherein each pillar has two mirrored side walls formed on opposite ends of a joining wall. The side walls have mirrored recesses at a lower end to receive a lower frame member, and mirrored recesses at an upper end to receive upper frame members of a vehicle. Each pillar further includes attachment points to suspension members of the vehicle, and attachment points to the vehicle's powertrain component.