Trailing arm axle/suspension system

A method of assembling a vehicle axle/suspension system, said method including the steps of:

• a) preassembling at least one suspension beam including a compressive axle mounting plate formed with a recess, said recess having a shape generally complementary to generally half of the periphery of an axle for surrounding said axle half periphery, said axle mounting plate having a pair of edges defining the outermost limit of the recess, said recess being a smaller size or an equal size to the axle half periphery;
• b) extruding said axle half periphery into the recess so that at least a portion of an interface between said axle half periphery and said axle mounting plate is in continuous compressive contact;
• c) disposing means adjacent to said interface between the axle half periphery and the axle mounting plate for securing the axle to said axle mounting plate, said means being substantially in compression;
• and
• d) mounting said suspension beam and said axle on a frame of a vehicle.

A vehicle axle/suspension assembly, said assembly including:

• at least one rigid top mount suspension beam mounted on a frame of a vehicle, said suspension beam comprising:
• i) a compressive axle mounting plate formed with a recess, said recess having a shape generally complementary to and surrounding about half of the periphery of an axle, said axle mounting plate having a pair of edges defining the outermost limit of the recess, said recess being a smaller size or an equal size to said surrounded axle periphery prior to mounting said axle on said;
• axle mounting plate, said axle mounting plate being formed with a pair of openings, said openings each being circumferentially offset from a vertical axis plane of said axle and located adjacent to a respective one of an upper front and an upper rear quadrant of said axle, a first cutout being formed in said axle mounting plate for accessing said upper front axle quadrant opening, a first end of said beam being pivotally attached to said vehicle frame and a second end of said beam being attached to an air spring through an end plate attached to said beam second end, said end plate supporting said air spring extending between said end plate and the vehicle frame, a second cutout being formed in the end plate for accessing said upper rear axle quadrant opening for securing said axle mounting plate to the axle, and upon mounting the axle on the axle mounting plate, at least a portion of an interface between said surrounded axle periphery and said axle mounting plate is in continuous compressive contact;
• and
• ii) a continuous weld being disposed in each of said axle mounting plate openings about a periphery of said openings for securing said axle mounting plate to said axle.

A vehicle axle/suspension assembly, said assembly including:

• at least one rigid top mount suspension beam mounted on a frame of a vehicle, said suspension beam comprising:
• i) a compressive axle mounting plate formed with a recess, said recess having a shape generally complementary to and surrounding about half of the periphery of an axle, said axle mounting plate having a pair of edges defining the outermost limit of the recess, said recess being a smaller size or an equal size to said surrounded axle periphery prior to mounting said axle on said axle mounting plate, said axle mounting plate being formed with a pair of openings, said openings each being circumferentially offset from a vertical axis plane of said axle and located adjacent to a respective one of an upper front and an upper rear quadrant of said axle, a first cutout being formed in said axle mounting plate for accessing said upper front axle quadrant opening, a first end of said beam being pivotally attached to said vehicle frame and a second end of said beam being attached to an air spring through an end plate attached to said beam second end, said end plate supporting said air spring extending between said end plate and the vehicle frame, a second cutout being formed in the end plate for accessing said upper rear axle quadrant opening for securing said axle mounting plate to the axle, a generally U-shaped rib being attached to and depending from said end plate and said axle mounting plate for supporting said end plate, and upon mounting the axle on the axle mounting plate, at least a portion of an interface between said surrounded axle periphery and said axle mounting plate is in continuous compressive contact;
• and
• ii) a continuous weld being disposed in each of said axle mounting plate openings about a periphery of said openings for securing said axle mounting plate to said axle.

A vehicle axle/suspension assembly, said assembly including:

• at least one rigid top mount suspension beam mounted on a frame of a vehicle, said beam including an inverted U-shaped top channel, said top channel including a pair of spaced-apart sidewalls and a top wall, an inverted U-shaped insert having a generally complementary size and shape to said top channel being disposed within the top channel adjacent to an axle mounting plate recess, said insert including a pair of spaced-apart insert sidewalls and a top wall, and said insert sidewalls each being attached to a respective one of said top channel sidewalls and a compressive axle mounting plate with a single weld, said suspension beam comprising:
• i) said compressive axle mounting plate formed with said recess, said recess having a shape generally complementary to and surrounding about half of the periphery of an axle, said axle mounting plate having a pair of edges defining the outermost limit of the recess, said recess being a smaller size or an equal size to said surrounded axle periphery prior to mounting said axle on said axle mounting plate, said axle mounting plate being formed with a pair of openings, said openings each being circumferentially offset from a vertical axis plane of said axle and located adjacent to a respective one of an upper front and an upper rear quadrant of said axle, a first cutout being formed in said axle mounting plate for accessing said upper front axle quadrant opening, a first end of said beam being pivotally attached to said vehicle frame and a second end of said beam being attached to an air spring through an end plate attached to said beam second end, said end plate supporting said air spring extending between said end plate and the vehicle frame, a second cutout being formed in the end plate for accessing said upper rear axle quadrant opening for securing said axle mounting plate to the axle, a generally U-shaped rib being attached to and depending from said end plate and said axle mounting plate for supporting said end plate, and upon mounting the axle on the axle mounting plate, at least a portion of an interface between said surrounded axle periphery and said axle mounting plate is in continuous compressive contact;
• and
• ii) a continuous weld being disposed in each of said axle mounting plate openings about a periphery of said openings for securing said axle mounting plate to said axle.

A vehicle axle/suspension assembly, said assembly including:

• at least one rigid top mount suspension beam mounted on a frame of a vehicle, said beam including an inverted U-shaped top channel, said top channel including a pair of spaced-apart sidewalls and a top wall, an inverted U-shaped insert having a generally complementary size and shape to said top channel being disposed within the top channel adjacent to an axle mounting plate recess, said insert including a pair of spaced-apart sidewalls and a top wall, and said insert sidewalls each being attached to a respective one of said top channel sidewalls and a compressive axle mounting plate with a single weld, said suspension beam comprising:
• i) said compressive axle mounting plate formed with said recess, said recess having a shape generally complementary to and surrounding about half of the periphery of an axle, said axle mounting plate having a pair of edges defining the outermost limit of the recess, said recess being a smaller size or an equal size to said surrounded axle periphery prior to mounting said axle on said axle mounting plate, said axle mounting plate being formed with a pair of openings, said openings each being circumferentially offset from a vertical axis plane of said axle and located adjacent to a respective one of an upper front and an upper rear quadrant of said axle, a first cutout being formed in said axle mounting plate for accessing said upper front axle quadrant opening, a first end of said beam being pivotally attached to said vehicle frame and a second end of said beam being attached to an air spring through an end plate attached to said beam second end, said end plate supporting said air spring extending between said end plate and the vehicle frame, a second cutout being formed in the end plate for accessing said upper rear axle quadrant opening for securing said axle mounting plate to the axle, a generally U-shaped rib being attached to and depending from said end plate and said axle mounting plate for supporting said end plate, said axle mounting plate extending outboardly and inboardly beyond said top channel sidewalls adjacent to said axle mounting plate recess to provide a force bearing surface for extruding the axle into the mounting plate recess, and upon mounting the axle on the axle mounting plate, at least a portion of an interface between said surrounded axle periphery and said axle mounting plate is in continuous compressive contact;
• and
• ii) a continuous weld being disposed in each of said axle mounting plate openings about a periphery of said openings for securing said axle mounting plate to said axle.

A method of assembling a vehicle axle/suspension system, said method including the steps of:

• a) preassembling at least one rigid top mount suspension beam, including a compressive axle mounting plate formed with a recess, said recess having a shape generally complementary to generally half of the periphery of an axle for surrounding said axle half periphery, said axle mounting plate having a pair of edges defining the outermost limit of the recess, said recess being a smaller size or an equal size to the axle half periphery, said axle mounting plate being formed with a pair of openings, said openings each being circumferentially offset from a vertical axis plane of said axle and located adjacent to a respective one of an upper front and an upper rear quadrant of said axle, a first cutout being formed in said axle mounting plate for accessing said upper front axle quadrant opening, a first end of said beam being pivotally attached to a vehicle frame and a second end of said beam being attached to an air spring through an end plate attached to said beam second end, said end plate supporting said air spring extending between said end plate and the vehicle frame, a second cutout being formed in the end plate for accessing said upper rear axle quadrant opening for securing said axle mounting plate to the axle;
• b) extruding said axle half periphery into the recess so that at least a portion of an interface between said axle half periphery and said axle mounting plate is in continuous compressive contact;
• c) disposing a continuous weld in each of said axle mounting plate openings about a periphery of said openings for securing the axle to said axle mounting plate;
• and
• d) mounting said suspension beam and said axle on said vehicle frame.

A method of assembling a vehicle axle/suspension system, said method including the steps of:

• a) preassembling at least one rigid top mount suspension beam, including a compressive axle mounting plate formed with a recess, said recess having a shape generally complementary to generally half of the periphery of an axle for surrounding said axle half periphery, said axle mounting plate having a pair of edges defining the outermost limit of the recess, said recess being a smaller size or an equal size to the axle half periphery, said axle mounting plate being formed with a pair of openings, said openings each being circumferentially offset from a vertical axis plane of said axle and located adjacent to a respective one of an upper front and an upper rear quadrant of said axle, a first cutout being formed in said axle mounting plate for accessing said upper front axle quadrant opening, a first end of said beam being pivotally attached to a vehicle frame and a second end of said beam being attached to an air spring through an end plate attached to said beam second end, said end plate supporting said air spring extending between said end plate and the vehicle frame, a second cutout being formed in the end plate for accessing said upper rear axle quadrant opening for securing said axle mounting plate to the axle, and a generally U-shaped rib being attached to and depending from said end plate and said axle mounting plate for supporting said end plate;
• b) extruding said axle half periphery into the recess so that at least a portion of an interface between said axle half periphery and said axle mounting plate is in continuous compressive contact;
• c) disposing a continuous weld in each of said axle mounting plate openings about a periphery of said openings for securing the axle to said axle mounting plate;
• and
• d) mounting said suspension beam and said axle on said vehicle frame.

A method of assembling a vehicle axle/suspension system, said method including the steps of:

• a) preassembling at least one rigid top mount suspension beam, said beam including an inverted U-shaped top channel, said top channel including a pair of spaced-apart sidewalls and a top wall, an inverted U-shaped insert having a generally complementary size and shape to said top channel being disposed within the top channel adjacent to an axle mounting plate recess, said insert including a pair of spaced-apart sidewalls and a top wall, and said insert sidewalls each being attached to a respective one of said top channel sidewalls and a copressive axle mounting plate with a single weld, said beam including said compressive axle mounting plate formed with said recess, said recess having a shape generally complementary to generally half of the periphery of an axle for surrounding said axle half periphery, said axle mounting plate having a pair of edges defining the outermost limit of the recess, said recess being a smaller size or an equal size to the axle half periphery, said axle mounting plate being formed with a pair of openings, said openings each being circumferentially offset from a vertical axis plane of said axle and located adjacent to a respective one of an upper front and an upper rear quadrant of said axle, a first cutout being formed in said axle mounting plate for accessing said upper front axle quadrant opening, a first end of said beam being pivotally attached to a vehicle frame and a second end of said beam being attached to an air spring through an end plate attached to said beam second end, said end plate supporting said air spring extending between said end plate and the vehicle frame, a second cutout being formed in the end plate for accessing said upper rear axle quadrant opening for securing said axle mounting plate to the axle, and a generally U-shaped rib being attached to and depending from said end plate and said axle mounting plate for supporting said end plate;
• b) extruding said axle half periphery into the recess so that at least a portion of an interface between said axle half periphery and said axle mounting plate is in continuous compressive contact;
• c) disposing a continuous weld in each of said axle mounting plate openings about a periphery of said openings for securing the axle to said axle mounting plate;
• and
• d) mounting said suspension beam and said axle on said vehicle frame.

A method of assembling a vehicle axle/suspension system, said method including the steps of:

• a) preassembling at least one rigid top mount suspension beam, said beam including an inverted U-shaped top channel, said top channel including a pair of spaced-apart sidewalls and a top wall, an inverted U-shaped insert having a generally complementary size and shape to said top channel being disposed within the top channel adjacent to an axle mounting plate recess, said insert including a pair of spaced-apart sidewalls and a top wall, and said insert sidewalls each being attached to a respective one of said top channel sidewalls and a compressive axle mounting plate with a single weld, said beam including said compressive axle mounting plate formed with said recess, said recess having a shape generally complementary to generally half of the periphery of an axle for surrounding said axle half periphery, said axle mounting plate having a pair of edges defining the outermost limit of the recess, said recess being a smaller size or an equal size to the axle half periphery, said axle mounting plate being formed with a pair of openings, said openings each being circumferentially offset from a vertical axis plane of said axle and located adjacent to a respective one of an upper front and an upper rear quadrant of said axle, a first cutout being formed in said axle mounting plate for accessing said upper front axle quadrant opening, a first end of said beam being pivotally attached to a vehicle frame and a second end of said beam being attached to an air spring through an end plate attached to said beam second end, said end plate supporting said air spring extending between said end plate and the vehicle frame, a second cutout being formed in the end plate for accessing said upper rear axle quadrant opening for securing said axle mounting plate to the axle, a generally U-shaped rib being attached to and depending from said end plate and said axle mounting plate for supporting said end plate, said axle mounting plate extending outboardly and inboardly beyond said top channel sidewalls adjacent to said axle mounting plate recess to provide a force bearing surface for extruding the axle into the mounting plate recess;
• b) extruding said axle half periphery into the recess so that at least a portion of an interface between said axle half periphery and said axle mounting plate is in continuous compressive contact;
• c) disposing a continuous weld in each of said axle mounting plate openings about a periphery of said openings for securing the axle to said axle mounting plate;
• and
• d) mounting said suspension beam and said axle on said vehicle frame.