Patent ID: 7789407

Claim:
A vehicle suspension system comprising an elastomeric bearing assembly, the elastomeric bearing assembly comprising: a substantially cylindrical outer member; a substantially cylindrical elastomeric portion coupled to said cylindrical outer member; a shim coupled to said substantially cylindrical elastomeric portion; a substantially frustospherical elastomeric section coupled to said shim; and an inner member coupled to said frustospherical elastomeric portion wherein said substantially cylindrical outer member, said substantially cylindrical elastomeric portion, said shim, and said substantially frustospherical elastomeric section include a first and a second opposing longitudinal extending split with said substantially cylindrical outer member comprised of an upper split half cylindrical outer member half and a lower split half cylindrical outer member half, said substantially cylindrical elastomeric portion comprised of an upper split half cylindrical elastomeric portion and a lower split half cylindrical elastomeric portion, with said substantially frustospherical elastomeric section comprised of an upper split half frustospherical elastomeric portion and a lower split half frustospherical elastomeric portion, and with said shim comprised of an upper split shim half and a lower split shim half with a load direction directed downward through said lower split half cylindrical outer member half, said lower split half cylindrical elastomeric portion, said lower split half frustospherical elastomeric portion, and said lower split shim half.