Rear steer knuckles for off-road vehicles
AssigneeArctic Cat Inc.
InventorsBrent Thomas Gilge, Todd Ethan MacDonald
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A steering and suspension system for an off-road vehicle includes a steering rack assembly and a tie rod, the inboard end of the tie rod coupled to the steering rack assembly. The steering and suspension system includes a knuckle having a top side defining an upper control arm connector arm and an aft side defining a tie rod connector arm, the tie rod connector arm having a distal end coupled to the outboard end of the tie rod. The steering and suspension system also includes an upper control arm having an outboard end coupled to the upper control arm connector arm. The distal end of the tie rod connector arm is positioned such that the tie rod has substantially the same elevation as the upper control arm.
Claims20
A steering and suspension system for an off-road vehicle, the steering and suspension system comprising:
- a steering rack assembly;
- a tie rod having inboard and outboard ends, the inboard end of the tie rod coupled to the steering rack assembly;
- a knuckle having a top side defining an upper control arm connector arm having a distal end forming an upper control arm clevis with leading and trailing prongs and an aft side defining a tie rod connector arm having a distal end forming a tie rod clevis with top and bottom prongs, the outboard end of the tie rod coupled between the top and bottom prongs, the knuckle having a support webbing extending aftward from the trailing prong of the upper control arm clevis to the tie rod connector arm outboard of the tie rod clevis;
- and
- an upper control arm having an outboard end coupled between the leading and trailing prongs;
- wherein, the distal end of the tie rod connector arm is positioned such that the tie rod has a substantially same elevation as the upper control arm.
An off-road vehicle comprising:
- a frame assembly including a front frame assembly;
- and
- a steering and suspension system supported by the front frame assembly, the steering and suspension system comprising:
- a steering rack assembly;
- a tie rod having inboard and outboard ends, the inboard end of the tie rod coupled to the steering rack assembly;
- a knuckle having a top side defining an upper control arm connector arm having a distal end forming an upper control arm clevis with leading and trailing prongs and an aft side defining a tie rod connector arm having a distal end forming a tie rod clevis with top and bottom prongs, the outboard end of the tie rod coupled between the top and bottom prongs, the knuckle having a support webbing extending aftward from the trailing prong of the upper control arm clevis to the tie rod connector arm outboard of the tie rod clevis;
- and
- an upper control arm having an outboard end coupled between the leading and trailing prongs;
- wherein, the distal end of the tie rod connector arm is positioned such that the tie rod has a substantially same elevation as the upper control arm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.