Snowmobile suspension system

In a snowmobile having a frame, a pair of skis suspended from the front of the frame by a front suspension including first and second upright struts, the struts including first and second outer tubes fixed to the frame and first and second inner tubes, respectively, telescopically and rotatably mounted in the outer first and second tubes, and first and second shock absorber and spring assemblies, respectively located within the first and second upright struts and mounted to act between the frame and the inner tubes, respectively, and including first and second springs biasing the first and second inner tubes to normally extended positions, the combination with the front suspension of a stabilizer assembly comprising:

• a horizontal, transverse torsion bar rotatably mounted to the frame in adjacent relationship to the first and second upright struts;
• and first and second linkage means respectively connecting the first and second inner tubes of the first and second struts to opposite ends of the torsion bar for transferring upward movement of the inner tubes to the torsion bar to torsionally deflect the latter to resist such upward movement, the first and second linkage means respectively including first and second sleeves respectively received on the first and second outer tubes, first and second guide means respectively associated with the first and second outer tubes and first and second struts and guiding the first and second sleeves along the length of the struts while preventing rotation thereabout, first and second lost motion connection means connecting the first and second sleeves to respective upper end portions of the first and second inner tubes for telescopic but not rotatable motion therewith, and first and second motion transfer linkages respectively connected between the first and second sleeves and the opposite ends of the torsion bar.