A spring assembly for a non-rail wheeled or tracked vehicle is provided. The spring assembly includes a piston, and a sleeve with variable thickness. The sleeve is made from an unreinforced synthetic elastomeric material and being free of reinforcing fibers. The sleeve is coupled with a plurality of end components and defines a deformable pressure vessel, and the deformable pressure vessel supplies a support force.

A vehicle suspension system includes a damper top mount including a top mount body defining an interior cavity, a damper coupled to the top mount and including a damping member and a damper rod coupled to the damping member, and a jounce shock assembly including a jounce shock body coupled with the damper top mount and encircling the top mount body. The jounce shock body includes an exterior wall and a dividing wall generally parallel to and interior of the exterior wall, a first chamber defined by the top mount body and the dividing wall, a second chamber fluidly coupled with and parallel to the first chamber and defined by the dividing wall and the exterior wall, a floating piston movably disposed within the second chamber, and a piston configured to translate within the first chamber between an extended position and a compressed position.

A method for forming an air spring for a vehicle including a frame coupled to the air spring includes heating an elastomeric base material to a melting point of the elastomeric base material, thereby forming a melted elastomeric base material, forming a sleeve from the melted elastomeric base material, the sleeve being substantially free of textile reinforcing fibers, and engaging the sleeve with end components, the sleeve and the end components defining a deformable pressure vessel, where the deformable pressure vessel supplies a supporting force.

A method for forming an air spring for a vehicle including a frame coupled to the air spring includes heating an elastomeric base material to a melting point of the elastomeric base material, thereby forming a melted elastomeric base material, forming a sleeve from the melted elastomeric base material, the sleeve being substantially free of textile reinforcing fibers, and engaging the sleeve with end components, the sleeve and the end components defining a deformable pressure vessel, where the deformable pressure vessel supplies a supporting force.

Provided is a work vehicle including a wheel support member including an axle that supports a pair of left and right travel wheels; a link mechanism that is provided spanning between a vehicle body and the wheel support member, and that supports the wheel support member such that the wheel support member can be raised and lowered; and a suspension mechanism that is provided spanning between a suspension support section formed on the vehicle body and the wheel support member, and that elastically supports the wheel support member.

Provided is a work vehicle including a wheel support member including an axle that supports a pair of left and right travel wheels; a link mechanism that is provided spanning between a vehicle body and the wheel support member, and that supports the wheel support member such that the wheel support member can be raised and lowered; and a suspension mechanism that is provided spanning between a suspension support section formed on the vehicle body and the wheel support member, and that elastically supports the wheel support member.

A kinetic energy shock absorber is shown and described. The kinetic energy shock absorber is comprised of a sleeve that has a first closed end and a second opened end. A piston is sized to fit within the sleeve and has at least one dosed end. The closed end of the sleeve has a protrusion attached to the closed end, wherein the protrusion has an aperture located therethrough. The dosed end of the piston has a protrusion, wherein the protrusion has an aperture therein. The piston will create electric energy when it enters the sleeve via an electric generation device. The kinetic energy shock absorber is a device that may be attached to an existing vehicle shock. The kinetic, energy shock absorber may also be used as a replacement shock for a motor vehicle.

A kinetic energy shock absorber is shown and described. The kinetic energy shock absorber is comprised of a sleeve that has a first closed end and a second opened end. A piston is sized to fit within the sleeve and has at least one dosed end. The closed end of the sleeve has a protrusion attached to the closed end, wherein the protrusion has an aperture located therethrough. The dosed end of the piston has a protrusion, wherein the protrusion has an aperture therein. The piston will create electric energy when it enters the sleeve via an electric generation device. The kinetic energy shock absorber is a device that may be attached to an existing vehicle shock. The kinetic, energy shock absorber may also be used as a replacement shock for a motor vehicle.

A vehicle suspension system includes a damper top mount including a top mount body defining an interior cavity, a damper coupled to the top mount and including a damping member and a damper rod coupled to the damping member, and a jounce shock assembly including a jounce shock body coupled with the damper top mount and encircling the top mount body. The jounce shock body includes an exterior wall and a dividing wall generally parallel to and interior of the exterior wall, a first chamber defined by the top mount body and the dividing wall, a second chamber fluidly coupled with and parallel to the first chamber and defined by the dividing wall and the exterior wall, a floating piston movably disposed within the second chamber, and a piston configured to translate within the first chamber between an extended position and a compressed position.

A suspension system for a vehicle and method for operating the same includes a shock absorber housing having a longitudinal axis, a spring disposed around the shock absorber housing, a retainer collar disposed around the shock absorber housing and an actuator engaged to the retainer collar. The actuator moves at least a portion of the retainer collar to move the spring in a direction corresponding the longitudinal axis. A switch generates a ride height position signal. A controller is coupled to the actuator and the switch. The controller controls a position of the actuator in response to the ride height position signal.