Axle housing attachment assembly

A mounting assembly for securing an axle housing to a suspension on a vehicle frame, said axle housing extending along a longitudinal axis, said mounting assembly comprising:

• an upper bracket and a lower bracket spaced about the longitudinal axis, said upper bracket having a base, a first side wall, and a second side wall laterally spaced from said first side wall, said first side wall and said second side wall extending outwardly away from said base and forming a channel, said lower bracket having a base, a third side wall, and a fourth side wall laterally spaced from said third side wall, said third side wall and said fourth side wall extending outwardly away from said base and forming a channel, each said side walls having a ledge at the outermost portion away from each said base;
• clamping means for tightening said upper and lower brackets around the axle housing;
• and
• non-metal flexible couplings disposed in said upper and lower brackets, each said side wall of each said channel including a longitudinally extending recess, a portion of each said coupling being inserted into a respective said recess to maintain said coupling therein during assembly, said portion of each said coupling maintaining each said coupling within a respective said bracket prior to contact of said coupling with said axle housing.