This torsion beam manufacturing method is for manufacturing a torsion beam including a central portion of which a cross-section orthogonal to a longitudinal direction is a closed cross-section having a substantial V-shape or a substantial U-shape at any position in the longitudinal direction, and a shape changing portion which has a connection region leading to the central portion and including a closed cross-section having a shape different from the shape of the closed cross-section of the central portion.

This torsion beam manufacturing method has a compression step of thickening at least the connection region through application of a compression force in the longitudinal direction to at least the connection region of a torsion beam material to obtain the torsion beam, the torsion beam material being formed with the central portion and the shape changing portion.

A tubular type torsion beam is manufactured by bending and welding and coupling a plate material. The plate material has a plurality of protrusions disposed on a plurality of side surfaces in a width direction of the vehicle. The torsion beam is manufactured by molding the plate material in a pipe shape by bending the plate material in the width direction and molding the plate material to dispose the plurality of protrusions to contact each other to form a gap between the plurality of side surfaces of the plate material and then welding and coupling the plurality of side surfaces of the plate material.

This torsion beam manufacturing method is a method of manufacturing a torsion beam that includes a uniformly shaped closed cross-sectional portion of which a cross section orthogonal to a longitudinal direction is a closed cross section having a substantial V-shape or a substantial U-shape at any position in the longitudinal direction, and a shape changing portion which has a connection region leading to the uniformly shaped closed cross-sectional portion and including a closed cross section having a shape different from the shape of the closed cross section of the uniformly shaped closed cross-sectional portion. The torsion beam manufacturing method includes pulling process of applying a tensile force in the longitudinal direction to at least the connection region of a torsion beam material including the uniformly shaped closed cross-sectional portion and the shape changing portion, to obtain the torsion beam.

The invention relates to a twist-axle that includes a cross-beam member and two trailing arms, each trailing arm rigidly secured to the cross-beam member in one of two connection regions of the cross-beam member or formed integrally with and extending from one of the two connection regions. The cross-beam member is formed from a tubular blank and has a torsionally elastic central portion and two torsionally stiff connection regions. The cross-beam member has a wall thickness that varies longitudinally along the length of the cross-beam member from the torsionally elastic central portion to each of the torsionally stiff connection regions.

A motor vehicle body has an underbody and a link, which at one end is pivotably connected to the underbody and at another end carries a wheel. The connection to the underbody includes an underbody-side bearing support, in which a link-side pin engages.

A coupled torsion beam axle for buckling induction may include a torsion beam, a cross section of which varies laterally, a right axle coupler and a left axle coupler being respectively formed at both end portions of the torsion beam, the torsion beam being provided with a buckling induction member configured to induce buckling deformation by an external load applied to each of the right and left axle couplers.

A rear suspension structure includes left and right trailing arms, left and right hub carriers, and a lateral beam. Each hub carrier includes a front arm portion extending in a direction inward in the vehicle width direction and frontward of an axis of the rear wheels, and a rear arm portion extending rearward of the front arm portion. Each trailing arm has a rear end portion coupled to the hub carrier or the lateral beam via a first coupling portion that is a bushing. The lateral beam includes a left beam extending inward in the vehicle width direction from the rear arm portion disposed on a left side of the vehicle, a right beam extending inward in the vehicle width direction from the rear arm portion disposed on a right side of the vehicle, and left and right second coupling portions displaceably coupling the left beam and the right beam.

A method and apparatus for adapting a vehicle rear suspension wherein the apparatus comprises a substantially circular plate having first and second surfaces with a central bore therethrough and with closed and open notches extending into a circumferential edge thereof, a pair of outer mounting bores extending through the plate proximate to the circumferential edge with the closed notch therebetween and a plurality of first and second inner mounting bores distributed around the central bore. The method comprises removing a multi-link rear suspension assembly from the vehicle and removing left and right wheel assemblies from the multi-link rear suspension assembly mounting an adaptor plate to each of the left and right wheel assemblies on an inside surface thereof with a first set of fasteners, mounting an axle beam of a torsion bar rear suspension assembly to each of the adaptor plates with a second set of fasteners and securing the torsion bar rear suspension assembly to the vehicle.

An installation structure of an in-wheel motor unit including a motor, a speed reducer, and a housing, for installing the in-wheel motor unit on a carrier of a suspension apparatus such that the housing is sandwiched by and between the carrier and a bearing unit, wherein the bearing unit and the housing are fastened at first fastening positions, and the carrier and the housing are fastened at second fastening positions the number of which is the same as that of the first fastening positions, wherein each first fastening position and the corresponding second fastening position form a pair, so as to provide a plurality of fastening-position pairs, and wherein the first and second fastening positions of each pair are located at the same position or located close to each other when viewed in a wheel axis direction which is a direction in which a rotation axis of a wheel extends.

The vehicle suspension component includes first and second trailing arms that are spaced from one another for attachment with vehicle wheels. The suspension component also includes at least one cross-member that is rigidly connected with the first trailing arm and is operably connected with the second trailing arm in a non-rigid manner. A rotation inhibitor operably connects the at least one cross-member with the second trailing arm and resiliently resists rotation of the at least one cross-member relative to the second trailing arm.