Method for constructing a suspension member

A process for constructing a suspension member for a vehicle comprising the steps of:

• (a) stamping a flat sheet from a piece of stock, said flat sheet having a decreasing transverse width from one end to the other end and said stamping providing a pair of cutouts at the one end which separate a plurality of fingers from each other;
• (b) deforming one of said plurality of fingers to form a pocket protruding from said flat sheet;
• (c) folding said flat sheet to dispose the pair of cutouts opposite each other, a pair of fingers opposite the pocket and edges of said flat sheet adjacent each other;
• and
• (d) fastening the edges together with each other and the pair of fingers together with each other.

A method for constructing a suspension member for a vehicle having a frame and a wheel assembly comprising the steps of:

• (a) stamping a single substantially flat sheet from a piece of stock, said sheet having a substantially decreasing transverse width from one end to the other end;
• (b) folding said single substantially flat sheet to form a folded single sheet having its edges overlap with each other and its ends adapted to pivotally connect said wheel assembly with said frame;
• and
• (c) fastening said edges together to form said suspension member with a single contiguous seam along said edges, said seam being disposed on a bottom side of said folded single sheet when said folded single sheet is adapted to connect said wheel assembly with said frame;
• (d) said folding step comprising a cold forming sequence which imparts a curve to said folded single sheet during said folding step to substantially offset the one end from the other end.

A method for constructing a suspension member comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a substantially flat sheet, said flat sheet having edges which substantially approach each other from one end of said flat sheet to the other end;
• (b) deforming said flat sheet to provide a pocket protruding from said flat sheet at the one end thereof and defining a predetermined width;
• (c) folding said deformed sheet to define a folded polygonal structure having a side thereof substantially equal in width to said predetermined width, said folding step also overlapping said edges;
• and
• (d) fastening said overlapping edges to form a single contiguous seam on said folded polygonal structure, said single contiguous seam being disposed on said side opposite said pocket.