A wheeled work vehicle and a method for adjusting tracking and camber of wheels of a work vehicle

A wheeled work vehicle comprising a chassis supported on a pair of spaced apart forward ground engaging wheels and a pair of spaced apart rearward ground engaging wheels with the rearward ground engaging wheels spaced apart rearwardly from the forward ground engaging wheels, at least the pair of the forward ground engaging wheels or the pair of the rearward ground engaging wheels being carried on respective suspension arms, each suspension arm extending from a first end to a second end, and being pivotally coupled adjacent the first end thereof to the chassis about a corresponding main transverse pivot axis extending substantially transversely relative to the normal forward direction of travel of the work vehicle, and carrying a corresponding electrically powered motor adjacent the second end thereof for driving the corresponding ground engaging wheel, each motor defining a rotational drive axis about which drive is delivered by the motor and extending sidewardly outwardly from the corresponding suspension arm with the drive axis of the motor extending transversely relative to the normal forward direction of travel of the work vehicle, and each motor defining an outer transverse cross-sectional area transversely of the drive axis thereof less than the transverse cross-sectional area of the well of a wheel rim of the corresponding ground engaging wheel, so that the motor fits substantially within the well of the wheel rim of the corresponding ground engaging wheel.

A wheeled work vehicle comprising a chassis supported on a pair of spaced apart forward ground engaging wheels and a pair of spaced apart rearward ground engaging wheels with the rearward ground engaging wheels spaced apart rearwardly from the forward ground engaging wheels, at least either the pair of the forward ground engaging wheels or the pair of the rearward ground engaging wheels being carried on respective suspension arms, each suspension arm extending from a first end to a second end, and carrying the corresponding ground engaging wheel adjacent the second end thereof, the first end of each suspension arm being pivotally coupled to the chassis about a corresponding main transverse pivot axis extending substantially transversely of the normal forward direction of travel of the work vehicle, the first end of each suspension arm terminating in a pivot mounting member defining a main bore extending therethrough for accommodating a pivot shaft therethrough defining the corresponding main transverse pivot axis about which the suspension arm is pivotal, the pivot shaft being carried on at least one mounting bracket mounted on the chassis, the at least one mounting bracket defining a secondary bore extending therethrough, and a plurality of selectable adjustment elements, each adjustment element comprising an engagement member engageable with the secondary bore of the at least one mounting bracket or the main bore of the pivot mounting member and defining an engagement member central axis, and having an engagement bore extending therethrough engageable with the pivot shaft of the corresponding suspension arm and defining an engagement bore central axis, the engagement bore central axis defining the main transverse pivot axis about which the corresponding suspension arm is pivotal, the spacing between the engagement bore central axis and the engagement member central axis adjacent the engagement bore thereof of at least one of the adjustment elements being different to the spacing between the engagement bore central axis and the engagement member central axis adjacent the engagement bore thereof of other ones of the adjustment elements for adjusting one or both of the tracking (toe in/toe out) or the camber of the corresponding ground engaging wheel.

A method for adjusting one or both of the tracking (toe in/toe out) and the camber of a ground engaging wheel of a wheeled work vehicle, wherein the wheeled work vehicle comprises a chassis, at least one ground engaging wheel carried on a suspension arm, the suspension arm extending from a first end to a second end and carrying the ground engaging wheel adjacent the second end thereof, the first end of the suspension arm being pivotally coupled to the chassis about a main transverse pivot axis extending transversally of the normal forward direction of travel of the work vehicle, the first end of the suspension arm having a main bore extending therethrough for accommodating a pivot shaft extending therethrough, the pivot shaft defining the main transverse pivot axis, at least one mounting bracket mounted on the chassis and defining a secondary bore extending therethrough for accommodating the pivot shaft therein, the method comprising providing a plurality of selectable adjustment elements, each adjustment element comprising an engagement member defining an engagement member central axis and engageable in one of the secondary bore extending through the at least one mounting bracket or the main bore extending through the suspension arm, and having a pivot shaft engagement bore extending therethrough engageable with the pivot shaft and defining an engagement bore central axis, the spacing between the engagement bore pivot axis and the engagement member pivot axis adjacent the engagement bore thereof of at least one of the adjustment elements being different to the spacing between the engagement bore central axis and the engagement member central axis adjacent the engagement bore thereof of the other ones of the adjustment elements, selecting at least one of the adjustment elements, and engaging the engagement member of the selected adjustment element in either the secondary bore of the mounting bracket or the main bore of the suspension arm for adjusting one or both of the tracking or the camber of the corresponding ground engaging wheel.