Abstract:
A suspension lift mechanism is described for use with sport utility vehicles. Such sport utility vehicles have a pair of frame rails which have a plurality of suspension attachments positioned thereon. The elements of a suspension system are usually mounted on said suspension attachments. The suspension lift mechanism includes a pair of rear brackets consisting of a rear frame extension which has an upper surface adapted to mate with the lower surface of the frame rail. The rear frame extension has a plurality of suspension attachments positioned thereon and is mounted to a frame rail. A pair of front brackets consists of a front frame extension which has an upper surface of the front frame extension adapted to mate with the lower surface of the frame rail. The front frame extension has a plurality of suspension attachments positioned thereon and is mounted to the frame rail.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
   The present invention relates to suspension lift brackets for vehicles, and, more particularly, to suspension lift brackets for off-road vehicles. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Lift brackets are used to install suspension parts in a lower position on a vehicle&#39;s frame to provide a higher ground clearance for said vehicle. The use of lift brackets allows a vehicle to clear higher obstacles thereby enhancing off road driving capabilities. Further, the use of lift brackets is considered to increase the aesthetics of the vehicle employing the lift brackets. 
   However, due to the unique nature of the suspension system of an off-road vehicle, no such lift brackets are available for those brands of vehicles. Thus, there is a need for a lift bracket suitable for use on off-road vehicles. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It is an object of this invention to provide lift brackets, two mirror image brackets for the rear, right and left side, and two mirror image brackets for the front, right and left side, suitable for use with off-road vehicles. 
   It is a further object of this invention to provide lift brackets to increase ground clearance, tire size and personal aesthetics of off-road vehicles. 
   Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds and the features of novelty which characterize this invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention may be more readily described by reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective side view of the driver&#39;s side rear bracket of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a reversed perspective side view of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the driver&#39;s side front bracket; 
       FIG. 4  is a reversed perspective side view of  FIG. 3 ; 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the driver&#39;s side rear bracket showing mounting locations therefore on a vehicle frame rail; 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of driver&#39;s side front bracket showing mounting locations therefore on the vehicle frame rail; 
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the left side front and rear brackets showing the mounting locations therefor on the vehicle frame rails; 
       FIG. 8  shows the driver&#39;s side rear bracket of the present invention bracket mounted on the vehicle frame rail showing its relationship to other suspension parts on the vehicle in a partially exploded perspective view; and 
       FIG. 9  shows the driver&#39;s side front bracket of the present invention mounted on vehicle frame rail showing its relationship to other suspension parts on the vehicle in a partially exploded perspective view. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   Referring more particularly to the drawings by characters of reference,  FIGS. 1–9  disclose lift brackets  10  and  60  for use with off-road vehicles. As those skilled in the art will recognize, the discussion below shows the use of the invention with HUMMER H1® and HUMVEE® sport utility vehicles. However, the use of the HUMMER H1® and HUMVEE® sport utility vehicles is exemplary in nature and the present invention is not meant to be limited to that particular vehicle. 
   In addition, the present discussion will relate to lift brackets mounted on the driver&#39;s side of off-road vehicle; however, those skilled in the art will recognize that lift brackets for the passenger side of the vehicle are simply mirror images of the embodiments depicted in the drawings and described below. Further, those skilled in the art will recognize that the term driver&#39;s side refers to the left side of the vehicle in the United States and the majority of countries which drive on the right side of the road. Those skilled in the art will recognize that in those countries which drive on the left side, i.e. the United Kingdom, the driver&#39;s side is the right side. 
   As best seen in  FIG. 7 , two frame rails  20  extend the length of a off-road vehicle. At positions proximate to the location of wheel mounting plates  22 , seen in  FIGS. 8 and 9 , on both the front and the back of frame rails  20 , a plurality of holes  24  are drilled therethrough. Holes  24  are provided to mount elements of suspension systems  26  and  28  for the front and rear, respectively, said vehicle. 
   As best illustrated in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  5 ,  7  and  8 , one portion of the present invention provides a driver&#39;s side rear bracket  10  which consists of a rear frame extension  12  having a first rear plate  14  and second rear plate  16  extending upwardly therefrom. The upper surface of rear frame extension  12  is designed to mate with the lower surface of frame rail  20  shown. Further, the shape of rear frame extension  12  corresponds, in general, to the shape of that portion of frame rail  20  to which said rear frame extension is mated. Rear frame extension  12  includes a plurality of holes  18  extending therethrough which correspond positionally to holes  24  but are offset a distance downwardly therefrom. For added support, sleeves  30  are provided in each of holes  18  which extend through rear frame extension  12 . 
   As shown, first rear plate  14  and second rear plate  16  overlap the sides of both frame rail  20  and rear frame extension  12 . First rear plate  14  and second rear plate  16  include a plurality of holes  32 . Holes  32  are positioned to align with both holes  18  in rear frame extension  12  and holes  24  in frame rail  20 . Bolts  34  extend through said holes to firmly secure, via plates  14  and  16 , rear frame extension  12  to frame rail  20 . 
   As best seen in  FIG. 8 , rear frame extension  12  includes mounting elements, in the illustrated embodiment holes  18 , to affix elements of rear suspension  28  which are normally mounted to frame rail  20  via holes  24 . The net effect of use of rear frame extension  12  is to lift off-road vehicle body upward with respect to rear suspension  28  the distance equal to the distance between holes  18  and holes  24 . This added distance increases the ground clearance and tire size and, depending upon personal preferences, increase the aesthetic appeal of the off-road vehicle. 
   As those skilled in the art will recognize, rear suspension  28  is well known and comprises a pair of rear control arm brackets  42 , a rear upper control arm  44  mounted to said control arm brackets  42 , a rear geared hub  46  including wheel mounting plate  22  operatively mounted to rear upper control arm  44  as well as a rear lowered cross member bracket  48  having a rear lower control arm  50  extending therefrom which is also operatively connected to rear geared hub  46 . Suspension  28  also includes a rear spring seat  52  mounted intermediate between rear control arm brackets  42  and rear lowered cross member bracket  48 , and a rear spring pocket  54  positioned on rear lower control arm  50  intermediate between rear lowered cross member bracket  48  and rear geared hub  46  and in alignment with rear spring seat  52 . A rear coil spring  56  extends between rear spring seat  52  and rear spring pocket  54 . 
   As shown, first rear plate  14  optionally includes two thin areas  40  which leave a portion of rear frame extension uncovered. In an alternate embodiment shown in  FIG. 8 , first rear plate  14  does not include said thin areas  40 . In either embodiment, rear control arm brackets  42  are mounted via bolts  34  either directly to rear frame extension  12  when thin areas  40  are present, or to first rear plate  14  and rear frame extension  12  via bolts  34  which extend through both the first rear plate and the rear frame extension. Rear upper control arm  44  is mounted to both rear control arm brackets  42 . Rear upper control arm  44  is, in turn, operatively connected to rear geared hub  46 , said rear geared hub including wheel mounting plate  22 . 
   Mounted to rear frame extension  12  opposite second rear plate  16  via bolts  34  is rear lowered cross member bracket  48 . Rear lower control arm  50  extends therefrom and is operatively connected to rear geared hub  46 . Intermediate between first rear plate  14  and second rear plate  16  is rear spring seat  52  which, in the preferred embodiment, is still mounted to frame rail  20 . Intermediate between rear lowered cross member bracket  48  and rear geared hub  46  on rear lower control arm  50  is rear spring pocket  54  in alignment with rear spring seat  52 . Rear coil spring  56  extends between rear spring seat  52  and rear spring pocket  54 . 
   As best illustrated in  FIGS. 3 ,  4 , 6 ,  7  and  9 , one portion of the present invention provides a driver&#39;s side front bracket  60  which consists of a front frame extension  62  having a first front plate  64  and second front plate  66  extending upwardly therefrom. The upper surface of front frame extension  62  is designed to mate with the lower surface of frame rail  20  shown. Further, the shape of front frame extension  62  corresponds, in general, to the shape of that portion of frame rail  20  to which said front frame extension is mated. Front frame extension  62  includes a plurality of holes  68  extending therethrough which correspond positionally to holes  24  but are offset a distance downwardly therefrom. For added support, sleeves  30  are provided in each of holes  68  which extend through front frame extension  62 . 
   As shown, first front plate  64  and second front plate  66  overlap the sides of both frame rail  20  and front frame extension  62 . First front plate  64  and second front plate  66  include a plurality of holes  82 . Holes  82  are positioned to align with both holes  68  in front frame extension  62  and holes  24  in frame rail  20 . Bolts  34  extend through said holes to firmly secure, via plates  64  and  66 , front frame extension  62  to frame rail  20 . 
   As best seen in  FIG. 8 , front frame extension  62  includes mounting elements, in the illustrated embodiment holes  68 , to affix elements of front suspension  26  which are normally mounted to frame rail  20  via holes  24 . The net effect of use of front frame extension  62  is to lift off-road vehicle body upward with respect to front suspension  26  the distance equal to the distance between holes  68  and holes  24 . This added distance increases the ground clearance and tire size and, depending upon personal preferences, increase the aesthetic appeal of the off-road vehicle. 
   As those skilled in the art will recognize, front suspension  26  is well known and comprises a pair of front control arm brackets  92 , a front upper control arm  94  mounted to said front control arm brackets  92 , a front geared hub  96  operatively to front upper control arm  94  and wheel mounting plate  22  mounted to front geared hub  96  as well as a front lowered cross member bracket  98  having a front lower control arm  100  extending therefrom which is also operatively connected to front geared hub  96 . Suspension  26  also includes a front spring seat  102  mounted intermediate between front control arm brackets  92  and front lowered cross member bracket  98 , and a front spring pocket  104  positioned on front lower control arm  100  intermediate between front lowered cross member bracket  98  and front geared hub  96  and in alignment with front spring seat  102 . A front coil spring  106  extends between front spring seat  102  and front spring pocket  104 . A front air lift bracket  108  extends upwardly opposite front upper control arm  94 . 
   As shown, front control arm brackets  92  are mounted via bolts  34  to first front plate  64  and front frame extension  62  via bolts  34  which extend through both the first front plate and the front frame extension. Front upper control arm  94  is mounted to both front control arm brackets  92 . Front upper control arm  94  is, in turn, operatively connected to front geared hub  96 , said front geared hub including wheel mounting plate  22 . 
   Mounted to front frame extension  62  opposite second front plate  66  via bolts  34  is front lowered cross member bracket  98 . Front lower control arm  100  extends therefrom and is operatively connected to front geared hub  96 . Intermediate between first front plate  64  and second front plate  66  is front spring seat  102  which, in the preferred embodiment, is still mounted to frame rail  20 . Intermediate between front lowered cross member bracket  98  and front geared hub  96  on front lower control arm  100  is front spring pocket  104  in alignment with front spring seat  102 . Front coil spring  106  extends between front spring seat  102  and front spring pocket  104 . Since front air lift bracket  108  extends upwardly, said front air lift bracket remains mounted to frame rail  20 . 
   Although only certain embodiments have been illustrated and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the appended claims.