Patent ID: 8419029

Claim:
An air-ride beam-type axle/suspension system for a heavy-duty vehicle including a large diameter axle and including a gross axle weight rating of greater than 23,000 lbs./axle comprising: a) a pair of transversely spaced beams, each one of said beams including an inboard sidewall and an outboard sidewall; b) an axle extending transversely between and being connected to said beams to form a pair of axle-to-beam connections; c) each one of said axle-to-beam connections comprising an axle sleeve rigidly connected to said axle and to its respective beam, said axle sleeve formed with at least a front window and a rear window, said front window being located generally between said inboard and outboard sidewalls of its respective beam and adjacent a front portion of the axle when said axle is in service and said axle/suspension system is at design ride height, said rear window being located generally between said inboard and outboard sidewalls of its respective beam and adjacent a rear portion of the axle when said axle is in service and the axle/suspension system is at design ride height, the axle sleeve formed with a thickness of from 0.324 inches to 0.510 inches.