Adjustable run height lift axle suspension system
AssigneeWatson & Chalin Manufacturing, Inc.
InventorsThomas N. Chalin, Cully B. Dodd, Herbert D. Hudson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An adjustable run height lift axle suspension system includes an axle assembly, an air spring and a lift actuator. A device may be releasably attached to the axle assembly and connected to each of the air spring and the lift actuator, the device spacing the air spring away from the axle assembly. A selected one of multiple devices may be used, the suspension system having one run height when one device is releasably attached to the axle assembly and connected to each of the air spring and the lift actuator, and a different run height when another device is used. The air spring may have approximately the same operational height when the suspension system is at the different run heights.
Claims8
A method of adjusting a run height of a lift axle suspension system, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing the suspension system including an axle assembly, an air spring for suspending a vehicle frame above the axle assembly, and a lift actuator operable to lift the axle assembly relative to the vehicle frame;
- selecting a run height adjustment device from at least two interchangeable run height adjustment devices which produce respective different run height dimensions;
- and
- attaching the selected run height adjustment device to each of the axle assembly, the air spring and the lift actuator, wherein a first one of the devices is configured to space the air spring away from the axle assembly a first distance, and a second one of the devices is configured to space the air spring away from the axle assembly a second distance different from the first distance, thereby adjusting the run height of the suspension system.
A method of adjusting a run height of a lift axle suspension system, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing the suspension system including an axle assembly, an air spring for suspending a vehicle frame above the axle assembly, and a lift actuator operable to lift the axle assembly relative to the vehicle frame;
- selecting a run height adjustment device from at least two interchangeable run height adjustment devices which produce respective different run height dimensions;
- and
- attaching the selected run height adjustment device to each of the axle assembly, the air spring, and the lift actuator,
- wherein a first one of the devices is configured to space the air spring away from the axle assembly a first distance, and a second one of the devices is configured to space the air spring away from the axle assembly a second distance different from the first distance, thereby adjusting the run height of the suspension system, and
- wherein an approximate same operational height of the air spring is maintained whether the air spring is spaced away from the axle assembly the first or second distance by the respective first or second device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.