A truck or trailer includes a wheel, a stub axle spindle extending through the wheel and having a through bore, a step-up drive ratio unit inboard of said stub-axle spindle, an axle shaft extending through the through bore of the stub-axle spindle, and a power conversion unit operatively connected to the step-up drive ratio unit. The axle shaft is operatively connected to the step-up drive ratio unit, such that, as the axle shaft rotates with the wheel, mechanical energy from rotation of the axle shaft is converted into electrical energy. A special suspension system allows for installation of the stub axle spindle, and such suspension systems are a separate focus herein as well as being usable in combination with the power conversion elements.

A suspension system for a flex-wing rotary cutter may include separate suspension assemblies positioned, respectively, between each of a plurality of wheels and an associated axle upon which a given wheel is mounted. The suspension system may further include a central suspension assembly connecting a central deck and a central axle. The suspension system may provide significantly improved impact load distribution providing a much-improved experience for an operator as compared with some other systems including only suspension assemblies coupled to individual wheels or only a central suspension assembly.

A vibration control device includes: a calculator for calculating a weight of a trailer based on acceleration and driving force when a vehicle driven by a motor toes the trailer; an estimator for estimating a resonance frequency between the vehicle and the trailer based on the weight of the trailer and a weight of the vehicle; and a vibration suppression controller for performing vibration suppression control for reducing excitation of the resonance frequency on the motor.

A suspension system for a pair of wheels of a vehicle is disclosed. The suspension system comprises an inner member and a sleeve member that are coaxially arranged and rotatable relative to each other about the axis and a resilient element that rotatably biases the inner member relative to the sleeve member. The suspension system further comprises first and second arms that are secured to one or other of the inner member and the sleeve member and are configured to be rotatably coupled to respective wheels of the pair of wheels. In use, displacing at least one of the wheels relative to a chassis of the vehicle transfers a force to a respective arm and applies a torque to one of the members relative to the other member resulting in a biasing force which resists the torque and acts to return the displaced wheel back to the ground surface.

A recreational vehicle includes a frame, left and right air suspensions, a front jack, a tilt sensor configured to measure lateral and longitudinal tilt data associated with the frame, and a controller. The controller is configured to receive the lateral and longitudinal tilt data to thereby level the frame laterally via operation of the left and right air suspensions and level the frame longitudinally via operation of the left and right air suspensions and the front jack. Methods for performing a leveling operation include utilizing left and right air suspensions of the recreational vehicle in combination with operating a front jack of the recreational vehicle until the recreational vehicle is level along lateral and longitudinal axes.

A suspension assembly and method of use is provided. The suspension is for an axle on a trailer or other vehicle. The suspension assembly has a cross support member connected with or integrally formed with a hanger bracket at the first end of the cross support member. A trailing beam is connected to the hanger bracket. The trailing beam and a mount are coupled with a load air bag and a lift air bag, with the bags located on each respective side of a pivot axis for the trailing beam. This establishes a teeter-totter configuration of the suspension assembly allowing independent wheel travel side-to-side of the suspension assembly.

A trailer includes a trailer frame using suspension cables supported from vertically extending towers on opposite sides of the trailer frame and connected to distal ends of the trailer frame for supporting distal portions of the trailer frame. The trailer bed frame comprises a plurality of folding frame sections which can be unfolded into planar alignment to form the trailer frame and folded into an overlapping or stacked alignment for storage. Left and right wheels are rotatably mounted on left and right suspensions which are removably securable to left and right sides of the trailer frame. The suspensions comprise quarter elliptical leaf spring suspensions formed from curved upper and lower leaf springs spaced apart by inner and outer spacers.

Height adjustable trailers and trucks may include height adjustment mechanisms having drive wheels, drive motors, power supplies, and suspension linkages. For example, the suspension linkages may be moved between various positions to adjust the height of a chassis or cargo box of a trailer or truck. In addition, lock mechanisms associated with the suspension linkages may hold various positions and associated heights of the chassis or cargo box. Further, the various heights of the chassis or cargo box may also be associated with different wheelbases of the trailer or truck. The height adjustable trailers or trucks may improve safety, ergonomics, speed, and efficiency of various operations, including transport, loading, unloading, sortation, storage, or others. Moreover, some operations may be (semi-)autonomously performed by trailers having associated control systems, such as various movement, loading, unloading, staging, or other operations within yards of facilities.

A torsion axle assembly for supporting of a vehicle body on an undercarriage, including an elongated inner member having an inner member longitudinal axis; a torsion arm interconnected with the elongated inner member and the undercarriage; an elongated enclosure interconnected with the vehicle body and having an interior space; and resilient material residing within the interior space to support the elongated inner member within the interior space, such that the inner member longitudinal axis resides at an unloaded camber angle to an elongated enclosure longitudinal axis when none of the weight of the vehicle body is borne by the torsion axle assembly and at a loaded camber angle when the weight of the vehicle body is borne by the torsion axle assembly, such that the unloaded camber angle is greater than the loaded camber angle. A vehicle having such a torsion axle assembly and a method are disclosed.

A suspension assembly and method of use is provided. The suspension is for an axle on a trailer or other vehicle. The suspension assembly has a cross support member connected with or integrally formed with a hanger bracket at the first end of the cross support member. A trailing beam is connected to the hanger bracket. The trailing beam and a mount are coupled with a load air bag and a lift air bag, with the bags located on each respective side of a pivot axis for the trailing beam. This establishes a teeter-totter configuration of the suspension assembly allowing independent wheel travel side-to-side of the suspension assembly.