A drive system of an electric vehicle is disclosed. The vehicle has an arrangement optimized for characteristics of a hydrogen electric truck so as to ensure an available space inside vehicle body frames, thereby allowing a battery, high-voltage electric parts, a hydrogen tank, and the like to be arranged inside the vehicle body frames and increasing space utilization in the vehicle. The drive system includes a motor configured to drive the vehicle, a reducer or a transmission connected to an output side of the motor so as to change a rotational speed of the motor, and a rear axle configured to transmit rotating power output from the reducer or the transmission to vehicle wheels. The motor and the reducer or the transmission together with the rear axle are mounted on a suspension.

Shock absorber assembly structures are disclosed. An example apparatus disclosed herein includes a body of a vehicle having a first longitudinal structural member adjacent a wheel arch area of the body, a first locating rib integrally formed in the first longitudinal structural member to position a shock absorber of a chassis of the vehicle during assembly of the vehicle body to the chassis, and a first attachment boss integrally formed in the first longitudinal structural member adjacent to the first locating rib to receive a first fastener to fasten the shock absorber to the body.

A front body structure of the vehicle has a pair of left and right suspension housings provided in desired positions separated from the dash panel toward the vehicle front side. The front body structure of the vehicle further includes a first ring-shaped structural frame that passes through shroud members and is substantially ring-shaped in front view, a second ring-shaped structural frame that passes through the suspension housings and is substantially ring-shaped in front view, and a third ring-shaped structural frame that passes through hinge pillars and is substantially ring-shaped in front view, in which these ring-shaped structural frames are joined to each other by apron reinforcements, front side frames, and side members of the sub-frame.

In a suspension member having a closed cross section, insertion holes are respectively formed in an upper member and a lower member that are two opposing walls. A collar includes a cylindrical portion and a flange. The cylindrical portion is inserted through the insertion holes. On the upper member side, the cylindrical portion and the upper member are welded together, forming a weld bead. On the lower member side, the outer circumferential edge of the flange and the lower member are welded, forming a weld bead. The welding is applied so that the length of the welding line on the lower member side is longer.

The present invention provides embodiments of modified upper and lower control arms for attachment to the steering knuckle that came with the vehicle, or for attachment to a modified steering knuckle of an embodiment of the invention, such that the steering knuckle, and in particular the wheel hub opening of the steering knuckle, are located at positions that are closer to the front of the vehicle than the positions provided by the control arms that came with the vehicle. The forward position of the wheel hub relative to the position provided by the factory or stock control arms moves the wheel and tire forward by the same distance, thereby allowing much larger wheels and tires to be mounted on the vehicle which do not rub against or interfere with the wheel well, fender or body mount, thereby increasing the approach angle of the vehicle for use in off-road climbing.

A subframe assembly for a vehicle and a method for manufacturing the same is disclosed. The subframe assembly includes a crossmember, a straight arm, and a side bracket. The crossmember includes an end bracket disposed at an end thereof. The straight arm is received into and metallurgically bonded to the end bracket of the crossmember. The side bracket includes a base, and a rear bracket arm. The base is metallurgically bonded to a side of the straight arm adjacent to the end of the crossmember. The rear bracket arm extends from an end of the base and defines a hole adapted to receive a screw or pin for connecting a control arm of a wheel suspension to the subframe assembly. The rear bracket arm is at least partially received into and metallurgically bonded to the end bracket of the crossmember.

A clamping system for mating an I-Beam frame to an undercarriage is disclosed. The clamping system utilizes clamping brackets to secure the undercarriage to the trailer frame. The undercarriage has adapter sides oriented perpendicular to the undercarriage adapter bottom. The clamping brackets have two portions oriented perpendicular to each other. Holes are located in the clamping brackets to receive bolts or screws. The trailer frame is aligned onto the undercarriage and positioned such that proper tongue weight is applied. The clamping brackets are rigidly installed on the clamping bracket sides. Clamping screws are installed into the clamping brackets and torqued to a value such that a compressive force is applied between the bottom of the I-Beam and the undercarriage adapter bottom. The compressive force applied prevents unwanted relative motion between the I-Beam frame and the undercarriage during use.

A dump body pivot pin, suspension node, and rear frame connection comprises a dump body pivot pin boss, a rear suspension connection boss, outer and inner upper rear frame tube connection bosses, outer and inner lower rear frame tube connection bosses, upper and lower beams, a beam connection web, and a support tube connection boss. The dump pivot pin boss has a pivot bore, a pin bore center axis, and inner and outer flat surfaces. The rear suspension connection boss includes a suspension connection center axis and inner and outer flat surfaces. The upper beam connects the outer and inner upper rear frame tube connection bosses to the dump body pivot pin boss. The lower beam connects the outer lower rear frame connection boss to the rear suspension connection boss and the dump body pivot pin boss and the inner lower rear frame tube connection boss to the dump body pivot pin boss.

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. 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 disengagement apparatus for a subframe of a vehicle includes an inclined wall having an inclined surface, two sidewalls, and a top wall. The inclined surface has a structural feature that may include a rib. The disengagement apparatus is configured to couple to the subframe and a subframe stay. The subframe may include an aluminum material, and the disengagement apparatus may include a steel material. Further, a front frame structure for a vehicle includes a vehicle body, and a subframe structure coupled to the vehicle body that includes a subframe, a subframe stay, and a disengagement apparatus. The subframe structure is configured to decouple from the vehicle body in the event of a frontal impact and deflect in a rearward and downward direction relative to the vehicle body.