A damper for use with an automotive coil over shock absorber. An outer damping sleeve is retained over the exterior surface of an inner body and includes a plurality of bypass ports to alternately align and unalign with bypass ports of the inner body to regulate a bypass flow of damping oil between an interior volume and an outer passage, thereby allowing variable damping control of the damper. The outer damping sleeve is connected to an internal floating piston (IFP) which rides inside the inner body. A control spring is retained for applying a force to the IFP to limit the free movement of the IFP and thereby control a damping force of the damper during the damping event. Increased pressure in the hydraulic damping oil causes the IFP to move, causing the bypass ports to open and close depending on the forces subject to the damper.

A rod-end front suspension is provided for an off-road vehicle. The rod-end front suspension comprises a spindle assembly that is pivotally coupled with an upper suspension arm by way of a first rod-end joint and pivotally coupled with a lower suspension arm by way of a second rod-end joint. A steering rod-end joint coupled with the spindle assembly pivotally receives a steering rod. An axle assembly coupled with the spindle assembly conducts torque from a transaxle to a wheel coupled with the spindle assembly. Each of the first and second rod-end joints comprises a ball rotatably retained within a casing. The ball is fastened within a recess between parallel prongs extending from the spindle assembly. A threaded shank extending from the casing is threadably fixated with the suspension arm, such that the spindle assembly may be moved with respect to the casing and the suspension arm.

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 dual rate jounce bumper and a vehicle containing the dual rate jounce bumper are useful.

A leading-edge steering system is provided for a front suspension of an off-road vehicle. The leading-edge steering system is comprised of a spindle assembly that supports a drive axle assembly to conduct torque from a transaxle to a front wheel. A first rod-end joint pivotally couples an upper suspension arm and the spindle assembly, and a second rod-end joint pivotally couples a lower suspension arm and the spindle assembly. A steering rod-end joint pivotally couples a first end of a steering rod with a leading-edge portion of the spindle assembly. A steering gear is coupled with a second end of the steering rod and configured to move the steering rod, such that the spindle assembly rotates with respect to the upper and lower suspension arms. The leading-edge portion is configured to exert primarily tensile forces on the steering rod during travel over rough terrain.

A suspension arm includes a ball stud including a spherical ball; a bearing in which the ball is accommodated; a housing having an inner peripheral portion, an outer peripheral portion, and a lower end portion that connects a lower end of the inner peripheral portion and a lower end of the outer peripheral portion, and configured to accommodate the ball and the bearing in a state in which the ball and the bearing are spaced apart from the inner peripheral portion; an arm body coupled to a portion of the outer peripheral portion of the housing; and an insert molding part formed on an outer peripheral portion of the bearing, the inner peripheral portion of the housing, and the lower end portion of the housing to couple the bearing with the housing. A convex-concave portion is formed on the inner peripheral portion of the housing along a circumferential direction.

A spring for use in conjunction with a vehicle, in particular a leaf spring (1), preferably a parabolic spring, has a single-part spring leaf (12) made of steel, in particular spring steel, having a central region (2) and two adjoining edge regions (4a, 4b), wherein the edge regions (4a, 4b) each have an end region (5a, 5b), the end regions (5a, 5b) can each be connected to a chassis in a stationary manner via a rolled eye (11), and the total length of the spring when installed on the vehicle is substantially unchangeable in all load states. In the unloaded state, the spring leaf (12) has two bending sections (13, 14), which each have a curvature with a curvature direction, wherein the curvature directions of the two bending sections (13, 14) are opposed, and the two bending sections (13, 14) merge into each other in the region of a turning point (15). The first bending section (13) is a vertical spring section and runs from the end region (5a) of the first edge region (4a) via the central region (2) to the turning point (15). The second bending section (14) is a horizontal and vertical spring section and runs from the turning point (15) to the end region (5b) of the second edge region (4b).

A method for creating a roller spring perch has steps for making a steel frame bracket, procuring snap rings, procuring four bearings, machining a steel cylindrical bearing housing, machining a bearing shaft, assembling the bearing shaft to the bearing housing with the four bearings pressed onto each of two bearing lands, assembling the snap rings in snap ring grooves of the bearing shaft, placing the bearing housing with the bearing shaft and bearings centered through holes in sidewalls of the steel bracket; and spot welding the bearing housing to the sidewalls of the steel bracket.

A leaf spring suspension is provided with an air spring to absorb a percentage of the load.

A steering system, in particular for use in commercial vehicles, having a base body and a retaining element, wherein the base body has a contact surface on the base body side and the retaining element has a contact surface on the retaining side, wherein the base body has a bearing area for a pivotable suspension at its first distal end, wherein the contact surface on the base body side is arranged at the end of the base body opposite the first distal end, wherein the retaining element has a fastening section for fastening a spring element, wherein the retaining element can be fixed or is fixed to the base body by means of an adhesive introduced between the contact surface on the base body side and the contact surface on the retaining side, and/or wherein an axle body with a contact surface on the axle side is provided, wherein the base body can be fixed or is fixed to the axle body by means of an adhesive introduced between the contact surface on the base body side and the contact surface on the axle side, wherein the retaining element can be fixed or is fixed to the axle body by means of an adhesive introduced between the contact surface on the axle side and the contact surface on the retaining side.