A suspension for a wheeled vehicle include an axle with a mid-section and an end comprising an upper portion and a lower portion defining a space therebetween, a leaf spring having forward and rear ends attached to vehicle structure and a mid-section retained in the space and secured between the upper and lower portions, and a closure element attached to the axle end and at least partially closing an outboard end of the space. The upper and lower axle portions may be formed integrally with the axle mid-section or may be a separately-formed component secured to the axle. The space tapers from a greater vertical dimension at the outboard end thereof to a smaller vertical dimension at an inboard end thereof, and the leaf spring mid-section is wedged into the space. An intermediate element is disposed between the mid-section and at least one of the upper and lower axle portions.

A suspension for a two-wheeled vehicle includes first and second fork legs. Each fork leg includes a dropout. Each dropout has an opening therethrough. At least a portion of one of the openings is threaded. Each of the dropouts includes a split-damp pinch bearing defining the opening and operable between an open position and a locked position, and a hand operable actuator pivoted to the bearing for operation thereof. The suspension further includes a one-piece axle. The axle is disposed through the openings. The axle has a threaded first end engaged with the threaded portion. The axle has an ergonomic grip formed at a second end. The bearing tightly engages an outer surface of the axle in the locked position, thereby rotationally coupling the axle to the dropout.

A vehicle component such as an axle spindle or suspension beam (3) is connected to a tubular vehicle axle (1) by fitting a connector sleeve (2) onto the axle and subjecting the assembly to a crimping operation in which plural depressions (206,2018) are formed by indentation in the connector sleeve and the axle wall at the connection region (11,12) to fix the connector sleeve on the tubular axle. In the described proposals a solid lubricant (4) such as molybdenum disulphide is applied at the connection region between the connector sleeve (2) and axle (1), before crimping. The further vehicle component (3) is then connected to the connector sleeve (2) by welding.

A vehicle rigid axle with an axle beam, at the ends of which axle journals or wheel carriers, are arranged, and trailing arms rigidly attached with a spring bracket for supporting an air-suspension bellow, and a method for manufacturing the vehicle rigid axle. An axle beam section extending between the trailing arms, a trailing arm adjoining the axle beam section and the spring bracket are formed by two shell elements connected to each other, which form a hollow body. In an embodiment, the spring bracket is formed by a lower shell element forming an axle beam section extending between the two trailing arms, and the spring bracket is arranged so that the air-suspension bellow mounted on the spring bracket is penetrated by the central longitudinal axis of the axle beam section. Two shell elements made of sheet metal are formed and joined together to form a hollow body.

An adjustable portal box assembly for selectively mounting a wheel to an off road vehicle in either of two positions. The assembly includes a mounting plate mountable to the suspension of an off road vehicle, and a portal box is mountable to the mounting plate. The portal box includes an input shaft opening for an input shaft, and an output opening for an output shaft. The portal box is mountable to the mounting plate in a first position in which the output shaft is positioned to extend the wheelbase relative to the input shaft, or in a second position in which the output shaft is positioned in vertical alignment with the input shaft.

An axle cartridge member receives a pair of torsion stub axles at opposite lateral sides thereof. The torsion stub axles include elongated axle housings, which are sandwiched between two parallel plates to align the torsion stub axles with respect to one another. The cartridge member includes a central arch extending between the two torsion stub axles, which can provide additional ground clearance when the axle cartridge member is mounted to a trailer.

A bearing axle with straight shell and hollow cross section, is characterized in that the horizontal cross section of the axle housing is hollow, space of which is laid out an electric motor, a gearshift, a final drive and a differential. The advantages of the invention are as follows: the electric motor, final drive and differential integrated on the electric drive axle are fixed on the chassis to reduce the unsprung mass. The height of the motor is increased to change its adverse operation circumstances and the electric motor is not easy to be demagnetized. If the transmission is used, the gearshift on the spring is smoother than the gearshift under the spring.

This disclosure details electrified vehicle drive systems equipped with electric machine integrated axle assemblies. An exemplary electrified vehicle drive system includes a leaf spring assembly and an axle assembly mounted to the leaf spring assembly. The axle assembly may include a cradle and an electric machine mounted within the cradle. Shocks and stabilizer bar assemblies may extend between the cradle and a vehicle frame of the electrified vehicle.

The present invention is directed to a trailer vehicle apparatus comprising a trailer body, an axle, and a truss suspension structure (TSS). The axle comprises a shaft traversing the trailer body width. TSS comprises first and second platforms and truss structures. The first and second platforms comprising a first and second proximate end, respectively. Each truss structure is: perpendicularly oriented relative to the top surface of the platforms; affixed to corner nodes of the first and second proximate ends; and comprises a strut channel perpendicularly oriented relative to the top surfaces of the platforms as well as traverses a length of the truss structure. TSS is affixed to a bottom surface of the trailer body. The axle shaft comprises strut structures each slidably mounted within a strut channel. Strut structures are configured to traverse the strut channel as the trailer vehicle converts between a mobile state and a stationary state.

An axle-to-beam connection for a suspension assembly of an axle/suspension system of a heavy-duty vehicle including an axle, a beam, and a top pad. The beam includes an alignment assembly for aligning the axle with the beam. The top pad includes an integrally-formed bump stop boss and is fixedly attached to the axle and removably attached to the alignment assembly of the beam.