Patent ID: 8499877

Claim:
A snowmobile having a coupled suspension system, the snowmobile comprising: a chassis; a lower rail; a front control arm defining a first length extending between first and second spaced-apart ends, the front control arm pivotally coupled to the chassis on the first end at a first pivot axis and pivotally coupled to the lower rail on the second end at a second pivot axis; a rear control arm pivotally coupled to the chassis at a third pivot axis and pivotally coupled to the lower rail; a linkage assembly supported by the front control arm at a position between the first and second ends of the front control arm, the linkage assembly including a coupling link having first and second spaced-apart ends, the second end of the coupling link being operably coupled to the front control arm; and a shock absorber and pull rod each including first and second spaced-apart ends, the second ends of the shock absorber and pull rod being operably coupled to the coupling link away from the second end of the coupling link, and the first ends of the shock absorber and pull rod being operably coupled to the rear control arm, the first end of the shock absorber being positioned above the first end of the pull rod, the second end of the shock absorber is pivotally coupled to the coupling link at a fourth pivot axis, and the coupling link is pivotally coupled relative to the front control arm at a fifth pivot axis, wherein: a first plane is defined by the first pivot axis and the third pivot axis; a second plane is defined by the second pivot axis and the third pivot axis; a third plane is defined by the fourth pivot axis and the third pivot axis; a fourth plane is defined by the fifth pivot axis and the third pivot axis; a first acute angle is formed by the first plane and the second plane, the second pivot axis is below the first plane; a second acute angle is formed by the first plane and the third plane, the fourth pivot axis is below the first plane, the second acute angle is less than the first acute angle; and a third acute angle is formed by the first plane and the fourth plane, the fifth pivot axis is below the first plane, the third acute angle is less than the second acute angle.