A vehicle has a frame, seats, front and rear suspension assemblies, front and rear wheels, a motor, a rear differential, left and right constant velocity joints operatively connected to the rear differential; and left and right half-shaft operatively connecting the constant velocity joints to the rear wheels. Each of the rear suspension assemblies has: a trailing arm having a front end pivotally connected to the frame; a knuckle pivotally connected to a rear portion of the trailing arm; lower and upper links pivotally connected between the trailing arm and the frame; and a toe link pivotally connected between the knuckle and the frame. Each of the rear suspension assemblies has an instant center axis passing through a connection between the trailing arm and the frame. Centers of the velocity joints are laterally outward of their corresponding instant center axes when viewed in a top plan view of the vehicle.

A utility vehicle comprises a plurality of ground engaging members and a frame supported by the plurality of ground engaging members. The frame includes a front frame portion, a mid-frame portion, and a rear frame portion. The utility vehicle further comprises an attachment supported at the front frame portion. Additionally, the utility vehicle includes an operator area supported by the frame and including an operator seat and an adjacent passenger seat spaced apart from the operator seat. The operator seat and the passenger seat are in a side-by-side arrangement. The utility vehicle also comprises an auxiliary power assembly having an attachment shaft configured to be operably coupled to the attachment. The attachment shaft extends in a generally longitudinal direction of the utility vehicle and projects outwardly from the front frame portion.

A modular electronic damping control system is described and includes a damping component located at a vehicle suspension location. The modular electronic damping control system also includes a control system configured to control the damping component, and determine the type of damping component present. Also, the control system is configured to automatically tune a vehicle's suspension based on the type of damping component present, and automatically monitor the damping component and determine when a change has been made to the damping component so that the control system can then automatically re-tune the vehicle's suspension based on the change to the damping component.

A steering and suspension assembly for the rear wheels of an off-road vehicle includes: a) a first suspension component; b) a first steering component; c) a CV axle; d) a portal box assembly; e) a hydraulic steering assembly for moving the first steering component a distance effective to turn the vehicle at least 2 in either direction when the assembly is mounted to a wheel hub; f) a first suspension connection bracket for connecting the first suspension component to the rear wall of the portal box assembly; and g) a first steering connection bracket for connecting the first steering component to the rear wall of the portal box assembly. The portal box assembly includes: i) a housing having a rear wall, a front wall, and a side wall, wherein the rear wall includes a vehicle axle opening effective to receive the end of said CV axle, and wherein the front wall includes an output shaft opening effective to allow an output shaft to extend outward from the housing; ii) a linking mechanism housed in the housing and effective for linking a CV axle received in the vehicle axle opening to an output shaft; and iii) an output shaft operably connectable via the linking mechanism to the CV axle, and effective to rotate upon rotation of the stock axle.

A dual-mode suspension system using hydraulic dampers is disclosed. One or more dampers on each side of the four-wheel suspension system are coupled to a respective damper on the other side via a damper valve. One or more leaf springs may be arranged between the leading links coupled to some of the dampers, and trailing links coupled to other of the dampers. The suspension system may advantageously engage, lock, or partially disengage the respective dampers connected by the valve on each side of the system. Manipulating the valve to control engagement of the dampers, which may depend on the speed and related issues, provides control over whether heave motions should be separated from roll. In another embodiment, one or more single or double acting hydraulic cylinders may be used to engage dampers.

A work vehicle according to the present invention includes left and right axle cases of a rigid axle type, and left and right suspension mechanisms movable in the up-down direction relative to body frames and separately supporting the left and right axle cases, respectively. The work vehicle also includes (i) a first projection projecting downward from the left or right one of the body frames, (ii) a second projection projecting upward from that position on either the left and right axle cases or a frame body integrated with the axle cases which is opposite to the first projection in the left-right direction, and (iii) a lateral rod having a first end connected with the first projection and a second end connected with the second projection.

A vehicle front structure basically includes a vehicle frame, an upper suspension arm, a lower suspension arm, a sway bar and a rack and pinion steering. The upper suspension arm is pivotally coupled to the vehicle frame about first and second upper pivot points. The lower suspension arm is pivotally coupled to the vehicle frame about first and second lower pivot points. The sway bar is attached to the upper suspension arm and located above the upper suspension arm. The rack and pinion steering arranged between the upper and lower suspension arms. The rack and pinion steering is located adjacent the second upper pivot point and between the first and second upper pivot points with respect to a longitudinal vehicle direction.

A recreational off-highway vehicle includes a vehicle frame, at least one front wheel, a pair of rear wheels, a solid rear axle, a pair of trailing arms, a rear differential and a motor. The solid rear axle rotatably supports the rear wheels at its opposite ends. Each of the trailing arms is pivotally connected to the vehicle frame and the solid rear axle. A shock absorber is coupled between the vehicle frame and each of the trailing arms. The rear differential is supported on the solid rear axle and connected to the rear wheels. The transmission has a propeller shaft connected to the rear differential to drive the rear wheels. The motor is connected operatively to the transmission. The propeller shaft includes first and second drive sections that articulates relative to each other. The second drive section is connected to the rear differential.

A recreational off-highway vehicle includes a vehicle frame, least one front wheel, a pair of rear wheels, a pair of rear suspensions, a rear differential and a motor. The rear suspensions connect the rear wheels to the vehicle frame. The rear differential connects to the rear wheels. The motor is connected to the rear differential to drive the rear wheels. Each rear suspensions includes a trailing arm, a floating rear knuckle, a shock absorber and a plurality of control links. The trailing arm has a front end pivotally connected to the vehicle frame. The floating rear knuckle is pivotally connected to a rear end of the trailing arm. The shock absorber is coupled between the vehicle frame and the trailing arm. The control links have first ends movably supporting the floating rear knuckle and second ends pivotally connected to the vehicle frame forward of the rear differential.

A passenger vehicle provided with a steering handle and configured such that an attitude angle of the driver seat surface relative to a horizontal reference plane is changeable, so that a first attitude changing operation switch and a second attitude changing operation switch for changing the attitude angle are disposed in such positions as to be operable with a thumb of the driver of the vehicle from a steering handle grip of the steering handle.