Light weight suspension system

A wheel suspension system (20) for a vehicle, said system comprising;

• a housing (22),
• an lateral support (26) extending laterally to a knuckle end (28) from and pivotably coupled to said housing (22) for up and down movement,
• a first link (30) and a second link (32) each extending laterally to a distal end (34) from and pivotably connected to said housing (22) in spaced relationship to said lateral support (26) for up and down movement,
• a knuckle (36) pivotably connected to said knuckle end (28) of said lateral support (26) at one end and pivotably connected to said distal ends (34) of said first link (30) and said second link at an opposing end,
• a rod (64) having a first end (66) pivotably connected to said knuckle (36) and extending to a second end (68),
• a crank (70) pivotably connected to said housing (22) and attached to said second end (68) of said rod (64) at a position spaced from said pivotal connection of said crank (70) to said housing (22) for pivotal movement by said rod (64) in response to vertical movement of said knuckle (36) relative to said housing (22),
• a dampening device (72) attached to said crank (70) and said housing (22) for controlling pivotal movement of said crank (70),
• a wheel end (38) rotatably supported by said knuckle (36) for rotation about a rotational axis (R), and
• a drive shaft (88) extending from said housing through said knuckle (36) and connected to said wheel end (38) for rotating said wheel end (38) about said rotational axis (R),
• said rod (64) being pivotably attached to said knuckle (36) adjacent said lateral support (26) for allowing said drive shaft (88) to extend through said knuckle (36) without interference from said rod (64).

A wheel suspension system (20) for a vehicle, said system comprising;

• a housing (22),
• an lateral support (26) extending laterally to a knuckle end (28) from and pivotably coupled to said housing (22) for up and down movement,
• a first link (30) and a second link (32) each extending laterally to a distal end (34) from and pivotably connected to said housing (22) in spaced relationship to said lateral support (26) for up and down movement,
• a knuckle (36) pivotably connected to said knuckle end (28) of said lateral support (26) at the one end and pivotably connected to said distal ends (34) of said first link (30) and said second link (32) at an opposing end,
• a rod (64) having a first end (66) pivotably connected to said knuckle (36) and extending to a second end (68),
• a crank (70) pivotably connected to said housing (22) and attached to said second end (68) of said rod (64) at a position spaced from said pivotal connection of said crank (70) to said housing (22) for pivotal movement by said rod (64) in response to vertical movement of said knuckle (36) relative to said housing (22),
• a dampening device (72) attached to said crank (70) and said housing (22) for controlling pivotal movement of said crank (70), and
• a first pair of ball joints (50a, 50b) interconnecting said first link (30) to said knuckle (36) and said housing (22) and a second pair of ball joints (50c, 50d) interconnecting said second link (32) to said knuckle (36) and said housing (22),
• said first link (30) including a first link axis (F) extending longitudinally along a center of said first link (30) with said first pair of ball joints (50a, 50b) being disposed axially along said first link axis (F) and said second link (32) including a second link axis (S) extending longitudinally along a center of said second link (32) with said second pair of ball joints (50c, 50d) being disposed axially along said second link axis (S) for minimizing bending moments in said first link (30) and said second link (32).