A coupled torsion beam axle (CTBA) bushing is press-fitted into a bushing bracket provided at a tip of a trailing arm at each of two opposite sides of a CTBA suspension system. In particular, the CTBA bushing includes: an outer pipe including a through-hole formed therein; an inner pipe positioned in the through-hole; and a bushing rubber disposed in the through-hole and positioned between an outer peripheral surface of the inner pipe and an inner peripheral surface of the outer pipe, in which the bushing rubber includes: first compounds extending in a first direction, which is a diameter direction of the inner pipe, with the inner pipe interposed therebetween; and a second compounds integrated with the first compounds and extending in a second direction, which is perpendicular to the first direction, with the inner pipe interposed therebetween.

A shock absorber for a vehicle suspension system may include a damper tube having an axis defining an axial direction extending between a first end and a second end, a bumper cap, and a dust gaiter operably coupled to the bumper cap. The bumper cap may have a cover portion and a retention portion. The cover portion may be operably coupled to the second end of the damper tube, and the retention portion may extend along a lateral periphery of the damper tube to an opposite end of the bumper cap relative to the cover portion. The retention portion may include a continuous ring at a distal end of the bumper cap relative to the cover portion to define a limit for movement of the dust gaiter along the bumper cap in the axial direction. The continuous ring may be retained by a plurality of fixed fingers that extend from the cover portion to the continuous ring. A movable finger is disposed between each of the fixed fingers, each instance of the movable finger having a radially extending locking tab to engage the dust gaiter. Each instance of the moveable finger has a radial deflection rate of less than about 8 N/mm.

A method for manufacturing a hollow spring member having a hollow steel spring rod having terminal sealed portions at both ends thereof. Each terminal sealed portion has a rotationally symmetric shape in which an axis passing through a center of the spring rod is an axis of symmetry. Each terminal sealed portion has an end wall portion including an end face; an arc-shaped smoothly curved surface between an outer peripheral surface of the spring rod and the end face, and a hermetically closed distal-end-center closure portion on the axis passing through the center of the spring rod. The method includes forming each of the end portions of the spring rod by forming a chamfered portion on an inner or outer peripheral side of the end portion of a hollow wire, the end portion having an opening portion at a distal end, heating the end portion of the hollow wire having the chamfered portion, and spinning the heated end portion to be gathered toward the axis from the outer peripheral side by a jig. The end wall portion, which includes the distal-end-center closure portion, is formed by the distal end of the end portion being joined together on the axis.

A vehicle suspension component, such as a lower control arm, that includes first and second stamped metal shells and several connection nodes for operably connecting the suspension component to the rest of the vehicle suspension system. The first and second stamped metal shells may be stamped from next generation steel that is lightweight and strong, and are joined together in a clam shell or box-style type design. Each of the connection nodes includes a fixed attachment end and a movable attachment end, wherein the fixed attachment end may be sandwiched between the shell connection node portions of the first and second stamped metal shells and welded thereto, whereas the movable attachment end movably or pivotably attaches the vehicle suspension component to the vehicle suspension system.

A vehicle rigid axle with an axle beam, at the ends of which axle journals or wheel carriers, respectively, are arranged, and with at least two trailing arms rigidly attached to the axle beam and with at least one air spring bellows assigned to the respective trailing arm. At least one component of an electric drive is placed in the hollow body, the drive shaft of which passes through the axle journal. To form at least one axle journal connection section extending between the two trailing arms, a trailing arm connected thereto and a receptacle for at least one component of an electric drive, two shell elements are formed from sheet metal and connected to one another, in particular welded, to form a hollow body surrounding the receiving space. At least one component of the electric drive is mounted in the receiving space.

An apparatus and methods are provided for a rear portal trailing arm assembly for a vehicle rear suspension. The trailing arm assembly comprises a CV joint hub for coupling with a transaxle and a wheel hub for coupling with a rear wheel. A gear transfer case extends rearward from the CV joint hub to an axle case and functions similarly to a rear trailing arm. Forward mounts facilitate coupling the gear transfer case to the chassis such that the trailing arm assembly pivots vertically with respect to the chassis. A rearward mount facilitates coupling a strut with the gear transfer case to control the vertical motion of the rear wheel. Multiple gear assemblies are meshed within the gear transfer case. An axle is coupled with the meshed gear assemblies and housed within the axle case, such that torque applied to the CV joint hub is communicated to the wheel hub.

This torsion beam manufacturing method is for manufacturing a torsion beam including a central portion of which a cross-section orthogonal to a longitudinal direction is a closed cross-section having a substantial V-shape or a substantial U-shape at any position in the longitudinal direction, and a shape changing portion which has a connection region leading to the central portion and including a closed cross-section having a shape different from the shape of the closed cross-section of the central portion. This torsion beam manufacturing method has a compression step of thickening at least the connection region through application of a compression force in the longitudinal direction to at least the connection region of a torsion beam material to obtain the torsion beam, the torsion beam material being formed with the central portion and the shape changing portion.

A hollow stabilizer includes a curved part having eight regions defined in a cross section. A first region includes a 90° first part when the center of the inside of the curve is taken to be at 0° and the center of the outside of the curve is taken to be at 180°. A third region includes a 0° third part. A fifth region includes a 270° fifth part. A seventh region includes a 180° seventh part. The radii of curvature of the respective outer surfaces of the third part and the seventh part are larger and the radii of curvature of the respective outer surfaces of the second part and the sixth part are smaller than the radii of curvature of the respective outer surfaces of the fourth part and the fifth part.

A chassis control arm includes a single-piece base body with several hollow chambers. The base body includes a plurality of bearing mounts. A first bearing mount is formed by one of the hollow chambers and traverses the base body to define a first bearing axis which extends in extrusion direction. A second bearing mount in a first end portion of the base body defines a second bearing axis in a direction which deviates from the extrusion direction of the hollow profile. A third bearing mount is positioned in a second end portion of the base body. The base body has a center portion which includes the first bearing mount and is arranged between the first and second end portions. The base body has a first leg extending from the first end portion to the center portion, and a second leg extending from the second end portion to the center portion.

A multi-point link for a chassis of a motor vehicle. The multi-point link has at least one hollow profile portion including fiber-reinforced plastic and at least one load introduction element including a metallic material. The hollow profile portion, when viewed in cross section, has at least one hollow space formed as a circumferentially closed chamber. The hollow profile portion and the load introduction element are connected to one another in a common connection portion via a nondetachable glued plug-in connection. At least one stiffening element, which is fixedly connected to the hollow profile portion, is arranged in the chamber to increase the stiffness of the multi-point link.