The present disclosure is directed to a bushing assembly having a tubular inner metal, a tubular outer metal, a tubular rigid cup disposed over an outer portion of the tubular inner metal, and a tubular pad disposed between the tubular rigid cup and the tubular outer metal. The tubular pad may have a first wall section and a second wall section at least partially circumscribing the first wall section. The first wall section may be configured to be compressed and to expand along an axis parallel to an axial center of the tubular pad, to thus fill the tubular rigid cup and enhance a stiffness of the bushing assembly when the tubular outer metal of the bushing assembly is moved towards a limit of a range of radial travel.

There is provided a vehicle front portion structure including (1) a suspension member having (i) a front cross member and a rear cross member, and (ii) a side rail that couples vehicle width direction outside end portions of the front cross member and the rear cross member, (2) a lower arm whose vehicle width direction outside end portion is coupled to a front wheel and whose vehicle width direction inside end portion is coupled at least to a front side coupling portion and a rear side coupling portion of the suspension member, and (3) a weak portion that is formed in the front cross member on the vehicle width direction inside of a coupling point at which the lower arm and the front side coupling portion are coupled to each other and that is to be broken by a load input from the vehicle body front side.

A suspension arm adapted for use in a suspension system of an automotive vehicle including an arm member, a first mounting portion formed at a first end of the arm member and a second mounting portion formed at a second end of the arm member spaced in a first direction relative to the first mounting portion. The first mounting portion including a bushing collar equipped with a frangible portion comprising at least one stress riser, and the longitudinal axis of the collar in the first direction. By adding a frangible feature to the bushing collar of the suspension arm, the breakage mode and breakage timing can be optimized to ensure a tire-and-wheel assembly consistently contacts surrounding parts at the desired time and locations in a predictable sequence and manner during a vehicle impact event.

A vehicle suspension structure includes a suspension arm and a ball joint. The suspension arm is connected between a suspension member and a vehicle-widthwise outer side end connected to a vehicle wheel. The ball joint connects the suspension arm and the vehicle wheel. When the vehicle receives an impact in the longitudinal direction, a socket of the ball joint pivots relative to a ball as the suspension arm deforms, and a flange portion on an open side of the socket interferes with a stud shaft of the ball joint. The interference causes the flange portion to deform and the ball to come out of the socket to undo the link with the vehicle wheel by the ball joint. Upon becoming unlinked, the vehicle wheel moves toward the vehicle-widthwise outer side and interference with the rear vehicle body is suppressed to limit deformation of the vehicle body.

A front unit of a motor vehicle includes a transverse beam forming a casing with a steering rack and having, at ends of the transverse beam, protuberances arranged to be fixed to a receiving structure of the vehicle. The front unit also includes two suspension arms, each positioned at one of the ends of the transverse beam and each having at least one first and one second pivot joint. The transverse beam includes a fixing interface to receive a single pivot joint of each of the suspension arms.

A suspension arm (1) for a vehicle including a bearing (4) and a journal (2). The bearing (4) has at least one elastic sub-element (4c) and the bearing (4) is arranged on the journal (2) of the suspension arm (1) and encloses the journal (2). The journal (2) and the bearing (4) are designed to co-operate with one another in such manner that the bearing (4), relative to the journal (2), has a transition fit. The bearing (4) is fixed on the journal (2) of the suspension arm (1) by a fastening element (3).