Patent ID: 7434821

Claim:
A suspension system comprising: a vehicle chassis; an axle assembly; a support arm assembly operably coupling said axle assembly to said vehicle chassis wherein said axle assembly is vertically moveable relative to said vehicle chassis; a support biasing member operably disposed between said axle assembly and said vehicle chassis; a lift spring member wherein: (a) said lift spring member is an air spring that defines a central axis and has opposing first and second ends; (b) each of said first and second lift spring ends are operably coupled to said suspension system wherein extension of said lift spring member vertically displaces said axle assembly relative to said vehicle chassis; and (c) said first lift spring end is pivotally mounted about a pivot axis and wherein said central axis intersects said pivot axis; a first pivot stop and a second pivot stop; wherein said first lift spring end is adapted to abut said pivot stops upon rotation thereof about said pivot axis; wherein said first lift spring end is freely pivotable about said pivot axis except that, upon rotation thereof, said first lift spring end abuts said first or second pivot stop, whereby said first and second pivot stops operably limit rotation of said first lift spring end about said pivot axis to a predefined angular range between said pivot stops; a longitudinally extending structural member mounted on said vehicle chassis and having a bushing mounted on a distal end thereof; a pivot pin extending through said bushing and pivotally mounting said first lift spring end on said bushing and thereby defining said pivot axis; and wherein said first and second pivot stops are defined by plate members fixed to said structural member proximate said distal end thereof and lying in a plane oriented substantially perpendicular to said pivot axis.