Patent ID: 7914021

Claim:
A suspension assembly comprising: a bolt comprising a bolt material having a component selected from the group consisting of a high yield strength steel, titanium, and a high yield strength material having a yield strength greater than about 600 MPa; a suspension component comprising a suspension material, the suspension component having a suspension opening therethrough, and the suspension opening having a geometry for insertion of at least a first portion of the bolt, the suspension material having a component selected from the group consisting of aluminum, aluminum alloys, magnesium, magnesium alloys, low yield strength steel, iron, and low yield strength materials having a yield strength between about 100 MPa and about 300 MPa; and, a load distribution assembly comprising an offset suspension bushing having a bushing contact area that (i) serves as a bushing for a service load between the bolt and the suspension component, (ii) mates with a suspension component contact area, and (iii) functions to spread-out the service load from the bushing, through the bushing contact area, and onto the suspension component contact area; wherein, the bolt has a yield strength that is at least 2 times higher than a yield strength of the suspension material; and the bushing is offset from the suspension component contact area through the load distribution assembly such that a stress induced by the service load is spread out to an amount that is at or below the yield strength of the suspension component.