In a riding mower having a frame, a mower deck supported beneath the frame, a chair on said frame and a source of motive power also supported on said frame and including two hydraulic transaxles depending beneath the frame to each selectively rotate a drive wheel. The frame is supported on forward and rear wheel assemblies with a supporting wheel. The transaxles are supported beneath the frame and pivotally secured thereto by a flange captivating vibration pillows and proximate the driven wheel and an inner pivot rod secured to the frame by apertures in downwardly depending tabs.

A spring-damper assembly includes a damper, a coil spring disposed axially about the damper and directly or indirectly engaging an upper spring seat and a lower spring seat. A spherical support is disposed about and coupled to the damper or strut and is in contact with the upper spring seat or the lower spring seat, respectively. The spherical support allows relative movement between the spherical support and the associated upper or lower spring seat to provide a self-aligning feature for minimizing side forces exerted by the coil spring on the damper or strut. In one exemplary embodiment, a layer of material is disposed between the spherical support and the associated upper or lower spring seat to facilitate relative movement between the spherical support and the associated upper or lower spring seat.

A vehicle suspension comprises a hub carrier on which a wheel hub is suitable for being mounted, a suspension arm having an outer end connected to the hub carrier by a ball joint and an inner end suitable for being attached to a suspended structure of the vehicle, and a shock absorber. At least one load responsive device is arranged on the suspension arm, the load responsive device comprising a sensor able to generate an output signal in response to a load applied to the suspension arm, wherein a control unit is configured to receive the output signal generated by the sensor and to adjust the stiffness of the shock absorber through a valve adapted to vary passage cross-sections of the fluid contained in the shock absorber.

A wheel suspension includes an axle limb which supports a wheel. The axle limb includes a first steering axle which provides a first steering angle in a specified range for the wheel, and components for connecting the axle limb to a support structure. At least one of the components includes a second steering axle which provides a second steering angle which is different than the first steering angle provided by the first steering axle. The second steering axle is selectively releasable. The components for connecting the axle limb to the support structure form a double transverse link axle which includes an upper traverse link and a lower traverse link. A support tube is arranged at a chassis-side end portion of each of the upper traverse link and the lower traverse link of the double transverse link axle. The support tube is pivotable about the second steering axle.

A vehicle is provided including a frame assembly. The frame assembly includes a front frame module, a middle frame module, and a rear frame module. The front frame module is fastened to a front portion of the middle frame module. The rear frame module is fastened to a rear portion of the middle frame module. The middle frame module is interchangeable with at least one other middle frame module to change a length of the vehicle.

A strut assembly including a first cylinder, a second cylinder configured to reciprocally move within the first cylinder, and a damper assembly positioned within the first cylinder. The damper assembly includes a housing having opposing first and second ends, a floating piston in the housing and a damper piston positioned between the floating piston and the first end of the housing. The damper piston divides the housing into first and second chambers, where the first and second chambers include a hydraulic fluid that provides resistance to the movement of the damper piston in the housing. The strut assembly also includes a gas spring in the first and second cylinders, where the gas spring includes a pressurized gas contained within the first and second cylinders.

A connecting structure connecting: (A) an in-wheel motor unit housed in a wheel and including a wheel holding member holding the wheel, a motor for driving the wheel, and a speed reducer configured to transmit, to the wheel, rotation of the motor while reducing a speed of the rotation; and (B) a strut-type suspension apparatus including a shock absorber connected at an upper end portion thereof to a body of a vehicle and at a lower end portion thereof to the in-wheel motor unit, the strut-type suspension apparatus being configured to suspend the wheel and the in-wheel motor unit, wherein the shock absorber is disposed so as to intersect a rotation axis of the wheel.

This shock absorber is disposed between a vehicle body and an axle. The shock absorber includes a bottomed cylindrical cylinder, a spring seat, and a mold release rib. The spring seat is formed integrally with the cylinder. The spring seat protrudes in a radial direction of the cylinder from the cylinder to support a suspension spring. The mold release rib is formed integrally with the cylinder and the spring seat. The mold release rib connects an outer circumferential portion of the spring seat and the cylinder. The mold release rib has a face part provided at an outer end portion of the cylinder in the radial direction.

A steering arm assembly includes a steering arm body, a first rotary connecting part and a second rotary connecting part. A first end and a second end of the steering arm body are fixedly connected with a first rocker arm and a second rocker arm, respectively. The first rotary connecting part and the second rotary connecting part are respectively connected with the first end and the second end of the steering arm body, and the steering arm body is configured to rotate relative to the first rotary connecting part and the second rotary connecting part. The steering arm body is able to be detachably located on a mounting bracket through the first rotary connecting part and the second rotary connecting part; and the first rotary connecting part and the second rotary connecting part respectively include a first shaft housing and a second shaft housing, which are engaged with a first mounting plate and a second mounting plate respectively.

A wheel suspension includes an axle limb which supports a wheel. The axle limb includes a first steering axle which provides a first steering angle in a specified range for the wheel, and components for connecting the axle limb to a support structure. At least one of the components includes a second steering axle which is selectively releasable in order to provide a steering angle which is different than the first steering axle. The components for connecting the axle limb to the support structure form a McPherson suspension.