Patent ID: 6425593
Filing Date: 2002-07-30
Classification: B60G,B62D

Abstract:
An aluminum vehicle frame including a frame hanger for suspending a suspension assembly of an axle/suspension system from said vehicle frame, said frame including a pair of transversely spaced longitudinally extending main members and a plurality of cross members extending between and interconnecting said main members, said axle/suspension system including a pair of transversely spaced suspension assemblies, each one of said pair of suspension assemblies including a longitudinally extending beam, said beams of said pair of suspension assemblies capturing a transversely extending axle having at least one wheel mounted on each end of said axle, said beams each including at one of its ends a bushing assembly for pivotally mounting the beam on said frame hanger, wherein the improvement comprises:an integral frame hanger including a generally U-shaped lower portion which substantially surrounds and laterally supports said bushing assembly, so that said hanger reacts lateral loads and other loads transferred from said axle/suspension system into said frame during operation of said vehicle, without requiring additional support structure on said hanger and on said main members and said cross members of said frame.