Hydraulically-adjustable preload and/or cross-over

A hydraulically-adjustable crossover system comprising:

• a housing configured to couple with a main damper cylinder in an adjustably fixed location, said housing comprising:
• a slave cylinder chamber;
• a slave cylinder within a portion of said slave cylinder chamber, said slave cylinder telescopically movable with respect to said housing in a direction along an axis of said main damper cylinder;
• a fluid chamber within a portion of said slave cylinder chamber;
• and
• a fluid port configured to provide a fluid flow for said fluid chamber, wherein an increase in a fluid volume within said fluid chamber causes a portion of said slave cylinder to telescopically extend from said slave cylinder chamber in an axial direction along said main damper cylinder;
• and
• an adjustable crossover coupled with said slave cylinder at an end of said housing, said adjustable crossover disposed such that a change in a location of said slave cylinder causes a change in a location of said adjustable crossover, said adjustable crossover including a clocking ring for defining an initial position of said adjustable crossover with respect to said housing, said adjustable crossover configured to extend or retract with respect to said housing in a direction along a central axis of said main damper cylinder parallel with a damping rod.

A modular hydraulically-adjustable preload and crossover system comprising:

• a clocking ring configured to couple with a main damper cylinder in an adjustably fixed location;
• a housing coupled with said clocking ring, said housing comprising:
• a slave cylinder chamber;
• a slave cylinder within a portion of said slave cylinder chamber, said slave cylinder telescopically movable with respect to said housing in a direction along an axis of said main damper cylinder;
• a fluid chamber within a portion of said slave cylinder chamber;
• and
• a fluid port configured to provide a fluid flow for said fluid chamber, wherein an increase in a fluid volume within said fluid chamber causes a portion of said slave cylinder to telescopically extend from said slave cylinder chamber in an axial direction along said main damper cylinder;
• a preload flange coupled with said slave cylinder at an end of said housing opposite of said clocking ring, said preload flange disposed such that a change in a location of said slave cylinder causes a change in a location of said preload flange and a corresponding change in a preload applied to a coil spring coupled with said housing, said coil spring disposed surrounding an external surface of said main damper cylinder, said coil spring having a first end coupled with said preload flange and a second end coupled with a lower flange, said coil spring applying a pressure to said preload flange and said lower flange to maintain a length which a damping rod initially extends from said main damper cylinder, said preload flange providing an initial preload to said modular hydraulically-adjustable preload and crossover system, said initial preload occurring prior to any additional telescopic movement of said slave cylinder in said axial direction along said main damper cylinder occurring during operation of said main damper cylinder;
• and
• an adjustable crossover coupled with said preload flange, said adjustable crossover disposed such that said change in said location of said preload flange causes a change in a location of said adjustable crossover, said adjustable crossover including said clocking ring for defining an initial position of said adjustable crossover with respect to said housing, said adjustable crossover configured to extend or retract with respect to said housing in a direction along a central axis of said main damper cylinder parallel with a damping rod.