Under beam lift assembly for heavy-duty vehicles

An under beam lift assembly for an axle/suspension system of a heavy-duty vehicle, said under beam lift assembly comprising:

• a first portion removably connected to a front portion and a rear portion of a hanger of said axle/suspension system;
• a second portion pivotally connected to said first portion, said second portion pivoting in an axis different than an axis of a pivotal connection between a suspension assembly and said hanger;
• a lift element operatively connected to the second portion, wherein actuation of said lift element causes arcuate upward movement of said suspension assembly via contact with said second portion;
• and
• wherein the under beam lift assembly is free of contact with said pivotal connection between the suspension assembly and the hanger.

An under beam lift assembly for an axle/suspension system of a heavy-duty vehicle, said under beam lift assembly comprising:

• a first portion removably connected to said heavy-duty vehicle, said first portion being a mounting bracket, said mounting bracket including:
• a rear plate, said rear plate including at least one opening, said at least one opening aligning with a respective opening formed in a hanger of said axle/suspension system, a fastener being disposed through the at least one opening of the rear plate and said respective opening formed in said hanger to removably connect the mounting bracket to the hanger;
• a bottom wall, said bottom wall being rigidly connected to the rear plate;
• and
• a pair of side plates, said side pair of side plates being rigidly connected to said rear plate and the bottom wall, wherein at least one of the rear plate and the pair of side plates are removably connected to said heavy-duty vehicle;
• a second portion pivotally connected to said first portion, said second portion being a lift bracket, the second portion pivoting in an axis different than an axis of a pivotal connection between a suspension assembly and said hanger of said axle/suspension system;
• a lift element, said lift element being a lift chamber with a first end operatively connected to said rear plate of said mounting bracket and a second end operatively connected to said lift bracket, wherein actuation of the lift element causes arcuate upward movement of said suspension assembly via contact with said second portion;
• wherein the under beam lift assembly is free of contact with said pivotal connection between the suspension assembly and the hanger;
• and
• wherein at least one of said rear plate and said pair of side plates are removably connected to said hanger of the axle/suspension system.

An under beam lift assembly for an axle/suspension system of a heavy-duty vehicle, said under beam lift assembly comprising:

• a first portion removably connected to said heavy-duty vehicle, said first portion being a mounting bracket, said mounting bracket including:
• a rear plate;
• a bottom wall, said bottom wall being rigidly connected to said rear plate;
• and
• a pair of side plates, said pair of side plates being rigidly connected to the rear plate and the bottom wall;
• a second portion pivotally connected to said first portion, said second portion being a lift bracket, the second portion pivoting in an axis different than an axis of a pivotal connection between a suspension assembly and said hanger of the axle/suspension system;
• a lift element, said lift element being a lift chamber with a first end operatively connected to said rear plate of said mounting bracket and a second end operatively connected to said lift bracket, wherein actuation of the lift element causes arcuate upward movement of said suspension assembly via contact with the second portion;
• wherein the under beam lift assembly is free of contact with said pivotal connection between the suspension assembly and the hanger;
• and
• wherein at least one of the pair of side plates includes an access cutout, said access cutout providing access to the pivotal connection between said suspension assembly and said hanger of said axle/suspension system.

An under beam lift assembly for an axle/suspension system of a heavy-duty vehicle, said under beam lift assembly comprising:

• a first portion removably connected to said heavy-duty vehicle, said first portion being a mounting bracket;
• a second portion pivotally connected to said first portion, said second portion being a lift bracket, said lift bracket including:
• a lift chamber mounting plate;
• a rear wall, said rear wall being rigidly connected to said lift chamber mounting plate;
• a pair of side arms, said pair of side arms being transversely spaced from one another and rigidly connected to the rear wall and the lift chamber mounting plate, the pair of side arms being pivotally connected to the mounting bracket;
• a support member, said support member being rigidly connected to said lift chamber mounting plate and said rear wall;
• and
• a contact plate, said contact plate being rigidly connected to the rear wall and the support member;
• the second portion pivoting in an axis different than an axis of a pivotal connection between a suspension assembly and a hanger of said axle/suspension system;
• a lift element, said lift element being a lift chamber with a first end operatively connected to said mounting bracket and a second end operatively connected to said lift chamber mounting plate, wherein actuation of the lift element causes arcuate upward movement of said suspension assembly via contact with the contact plate of the lift bracket;
• and
• wherein the under beam lift assembly is free of contact with said pivotal connection between the suspension assembly and said hanger.

An under beam lift assembly for an axle/suspension system of a heavy-duty vehicle, said under beam lift assembly comprising:

• a first portion removably connected to said heavy-duty vehicle;
• a second portion pivotally connected to said first portion, said second portion pivoting in an axis different than an axis of a pivotal connection between a suspension assembly and a hanger of said axle/suspension system;
• a lift element operatively connected to the second portion, wherein actuation of said lift element causes arcuate upward movement of said suspension assembly via contact with said second portion;
• wherein the under beam lift assembly is free of contact with said pivotal connection between the suspension assembly and said hanger;
• and
• wherein said under beam lift assembly further includes a self-retaining vacuum retention system, said self-retaining vacuum retention system maintaining the under beam lift assembly in a fully retracted state when the lift element is unactuated and the second portion is not in contact with said suspension assembly.