A utility vehicle includes a wheel, a vehicle body frame supported by the wheel, a suspension device connecting the wheel to the vehicle body frame, and an acceleration sensor mounted on the suspension device. The suspension device includes: a below-shock absorber member including an arm swingably connecting the wheel to the vehicle body frame; and a shock absorber connecting the below-shock absorber member to the vehicle body frame. The acceleration sensor is mounted on the arm.

An apparatus and methods are provided for a front structural bulkhead for improving the strength of an off-road vehicle chassis. The chassis is a welded-tube variety of chassis that includes a front portion and a rear portion that are joined to an intervening passenger cabin portion. Frontward stays and a bulkhead mount couple the front structural bulkhead to the front portion. Bulkhead mount pillars and a bulkhead mount crossmember couple the front structural bulkhead to the passenger cabin portion. The front structural bulkhead includes a modular chassis for supporting drivetrain components that are operably coupled with front wheels of the vehicle. The front structural bulkhead includes upper and lower mounting points configured to receive front suspension controls arms. The upper and lower mounting points are configured to allow the front wheels to move vertically due to the vehicle traveling over terrain.

An apparatus and methods are provided for a portal spindle assembly for a vehicle front suspension. The portal spindle assembly comprises a spindle portion that is rotatably coupled with upper and lower connecting arms. A leading-edge portion is rotatably coupled with a steering rod-end joint, such that moving the steering rod-end joint rotates the spindle assembly with respect to the upper and lower connecting arms. An inboard case and an outboard case support a pinion gear assembly that is meshed with an output gear assembly for communicating torque from a constant velocity joint to a front wheel coupled to the output gear assembly. The pinion gear assembly is aligned along a pinion axis disposed at an angle with respect to a hub axis of the output gear assembly. The angle facilitates a suspension geometry that provides a camber change of the front wheel that eliminates a change in track width.

A universal wishbone trailing arm and methods are provided for coupling a wheel to a vehicle chassis. The universal wishbone trailing arm comprises a wheel hub that fastenably receives the wheel. A cylindrical axle support supports one or more roller bearings whereby the wheel hub is rotatable. A first swing arm and a second swing arm extend forwardly from a joined swing arm. The cylindrical axle support is coupled to a rear of the joined swing arm. A first chassis mount hingedly couples the first swing arm to the vehicle chassis. A second chassis mount hingedly couples the second swing arm to an articulated mount which is configured to couple the second swing arm to the vehicle chassis. The articulated mount cooperates with the first second swing arms to change camber of the wheel, such that a tracking of the wheels remains substantially unchanged during traveling over rough terrain.

Embodiments relate to an off-road vehicle comprising a frame, including at a frame, a passenger compartment, a driveline that includes at least a drive system and a driven system, and a constant velocity (CV) joint for coupling the driven system to the drive system. The CV joint includes a housing, a coupling shaft, a detent, a plunge pin and an actuation pin, wherein the actuation pin has a first end that is accessible via an aperture in the housing, wherein actuation of the actuation pin determines whether the plunge pin is in the first position or the second position.

A three-row wheel vehicle having front, center and rear wheels has laterally spaced front pivot links each pivotably connected at a middle to a vehicle body, laterally spaced swing arms each swingably connected to a front end of the front pivot link and rotatably supports the front wheel at a lower end, laterally spaced rear pivot links each pivotably connected to the vehicle body at a middle and rotatably supports the rear wheel at a rear end, laterally spaced force transmission mechanisms each configured to convert a rearward force transmitted from the front wheel to the swing arm into an upward force and transmit the upward force to the front pivot link on a front side of the middle, and laterally spaced connecting links each pivotably attached to a rear end of the front pivot link and a front end of the rear pivot link.

A utility vehicle includes a wheel, a vehicle body frame supported by the wheel, a suspension device connecting the wheel to the vehicle body frame, and an acceleration sensor mounted on the suspension device. The suspension device includes: a below-shock absorber member including an arm swingably connecting the wheel to the vehicle body frame; and a shock absorber connecting the below-shock absorber member to the vehicle body frame. The acceleration sensor is mounted on the arm.

Embodiments relate to an off-road vehicle comprising a frame, including at a frame, a passenger compartment, a driveline that includes at least a drive system and a driven system, and a constant velocity (CV) joint for coupling the driven system to the drive system. The CV joint includes a housing, a coupling shaft, a detent, a plunge pin and an actuation pin, wherein the actuation pin has a first end that is accessible via an aperture in the housing, wherein actuation of the actuation pin determines whether the plunge pin is in the first position or the second position.

An apparatus and a method are provided for a camber adjustment assembly, comprising: first and second end plates coupled to a substantially planar center portion, wherein the first and second end plates comprise a generally triangular configuration; a chassis element coupled to a trailing arm and the camber adjustment assembly, and wherein a force may be applied to the camber adjustment assembly so as to desirably induce a positive or negative camber condition.

An apparatus and methods are provided for a portal spindle assembly for a vehicle front suspension. The portal spindle assembly comprises a spindle portion that is rotatably coupled with upper and lower connecting arms. A leading-edge portion is rotatably coupled with a steering rod-end joint, such that moving the steering rod-end joint rotates the spindle assembly with respect to the upper and lower connecting arms. An inboard case and an outboard case support a pinion gear assembly that is meshed with an output gear assembly for communicating torque from a constant velocity joint to a front wheel coupled to the output gear assembly. The pinion gear assembly is aligned along a pinion axis disposed at an angle with respect to a hub axis of the output gear assembly. The angle facilitates a suspension geometry that provides a camber change of the front wheel that eliminates a change in track width.