Vehicle axle apparatus

A vehicle comprising a solid axle and first and second spaced apart elongated frame rail members from which the axle is suspended, the axle extending in a transverse direction relative to the first and second frame rail members, at least one cross-member interconnecting the first and second frame rail members at a location forwardly of the axle, a suspension for the axle of the vehicle comprising:

• a first elongated support comprising a first end portion pivotally coupled to the first frame rail member at a location rearwardly of the axle and comprising a second end portion extending forwardly of the axle, the first elongated support also being coupled to the axle;
• a first air spring coupled to the first frame rail member and to the first elongated support, the first air spring having a center which is positioned at a location forwardly of the axle;
• a stabilizer member coupling the second end portion of the first elongated support to the cross-member;
• a second elongated support comprising a first end portion pivotally coupled to the second frame rail member at a location rearwardly of the axle and comprising a second end portion extending forwardly of the axle, the second elongated support being coupled to the axle;
• a second air spring coupled to the second frame rail member and to the second elongated support, the second air spring having a center which is positioned at a location forwardly of the axle;
• and
• wherein the first elongated support extends forwardly to a greater extent than the second elongated support.

A vehicle comprising:

• a solid axle extending at least between first and second frame rail members;
• first and second wheels rotatably coupled to respective end portions of the axle for rotation as the vehicle moves, the first and second wheels also being pivotally coupled to the respective end portions of the axle for pivoting about respective upright steering axes and relative to the axle to steer the vehicle;
• a rack-and-pinion wheel steerer mounted to the axle and comprising first and second rack-and-pinion end portions respectively coupled to the respective first and second wheels, the rack-and-pinion steerer being supported and sized so as to be positioned behind the axle and so as to be substantially shielded from the front by the-axle, the rack-and-pinion wheel steerer being operable to selectively shift the first and second rack-and-pinion end portions in a first direction to pivot the wheels in one direction about respective upright steering axes, and the rack-and-pinion steerer also being operable to selectively shift the first and second rack-and-pinion end portions in a second direction opposite to the first direction to pivot the wheels about respective upright steering axes in a direction opposite to said one direction;
• and
• first and second spaced apart rack-and-pinion mounts, each rack-and-pinion mount comprising a base portion comprising an axle mounting flange portion for mounting to the axle and a projecting portion extending rearwardly from the axle, the rack-and-pinion steerer being supported by the projecting portions of the first and second rack-and-pinion mounts.

A vehicle comprising a solid axle extending at least between first and second frame rail members, first and second wheels rotatably coupled to respective end portions of the axle for rotation as the vehicle moves, the first and second wheels also being pivotally coupled to the respective end portions of the axle for pivoting about respective upright steering axes and relative to the axle to steer the vehicle, a rack-and-pinion wheel steerer mounted to the axle and comprising first and second rack-and-pinion end portions respectively coupled to the respective first and second wheels, the rack-and-pinion wheel steerer being operable to selectively shift the first and second rack-and-pinion end portions in a first direction to pivot the wheels in one direction about respective upright steering axes, and the rack-and-pinion steerer also being operable to selectively shift the first and second rack-and-pinion end portions in a second direction opposite to the first direction to pivot the wheels about respective upright steering axes in a direction opposite to said one direction;

• first and second spaced apart rack-and-pinion mounts, each rack-and-pinion mount comprising a base portion for mounting to the axle and a projecting portion extending rearwardly from the axle, the rack-and-pinion steerer being supported by the projecting portions of the first and second rack-and-pinion mounts;
• and
• wherein each of the rack-and-pinion mounts comprises a shock absorber supporting portion projecting forwardly of the axle, the apparatus further comprising a first shock absorber having a first shock absorber end portion coupled to the first frame rail member and a second shock absorber end portion coupled to the shock absorber supporting portion of the first rack-and-pinion mount, and a second shock absorber having a first shock absorber end portion coupled to the second frame rail member and a second shock absorber end portion coupled to the shock absorber supporting portion of the second rack-and-pinion mount.

A vehicle comprising a solid axle extending at least between first and second frame rail members, first and second wheels rotatably coupled to respective end portions of the axle for rotation as the vehicle moves, the first and second wheels also being pivotally coupled to the respective end portions of the axle for pivoting about respective upright steering axes and relative to the axle to steer the vehicle, a rack-and-pinion wheel steerer mounted to the axle and comprising first and second rack-and-pinion end portions respectively coupled to the respective first and second wheels, the rack-and-pinion wheel steerer being operable to selectively shift the first and second rack-and-pinion end portions in a first direction to pivot the wheels in one direction about respective upright steering axes, and the rack-and-pinion steerer also being operable to selectively shift the first and second rack-and-pinion end portions in a second direction opposite to the first direction to pivot the wheels about respective upright steering axes in a direction opposite to said one direction;

• first and second spaced apart rack-and-pinion mounts, each rack-and-pinion mount comprising a base portion for mounting to the axle and a projecting portion extending rearwardly from the axle, the rack-and-pinion steerer being supported by the projecting portions of the first and second rack-and-pinion mounts;
• and
• wherein each mount further comprises a coupler with an air spring supporting portion.

A vehicle comprising a solid axle extending at least between first and second frame rail members, first and second wheels rotatably coupled to respective end portions of the axle for rotation as the vehicle moves, the first and second wheels also being pivotally coupled to the respective end portions of the axle for pivoting about respective upright steering axes and relative to the axle to steer the vehicle, a rack-and-pinion wheel steerer mounted to the axle and comprising first and second rack-and-pinion end portions respectively coupled to the respective first and second wheels, the rack-and-pinion steerer being supported and sized so as to be positioned behind the axle and so as to be substantially shielded from the front by the-axle, the rack-and-pinion wheel steerer being operable to selectively shift the first and second rack-and-pinion end portions in a first direction to pivot the wheels in one direction about respective upright steering axes, and the rack-and-pinion steerer also being operable to selectively shift the first and second rack-and-pinion end portions in a second direction opposite to the first direction to pivot the wheels about respective upright steering axes in a direction opposite to said one direction;

• and
• further comprising first and second connector members each comprising a first end portion coupled to a respective one of the end portions of the axle and a second end portion coupled to a respective one of the first and second rack-and-pinion end portions, and wherein each of the second end portions of the first and second connector members is located below the respective first and second rack-and-pinion end portions.