Patent ID: 7530264

Claim:
A test apparatus for testing a suspension element of a vehicle, the test apparatus comprising: a stationary support; a pair of rail assemblies provided on the stationary support; a carrier assembly slideably assembled to the rail assemblies, the carrier assembly having a wheel test spindle that supports a wheel, and a tire mounted on the wheel, wherein the carrier assembly includes right and left sides and the wheel test spindle is disposed on the right side of the carrier assembly; a base bracket disposed adjacent the left side of the carrier assembly; a road simulation drum having an outer surface that is engaged by the tire, and a chuck hole recess formed in the outer surface; and a motor rotates the drum to cause the tire and the wheel to rotate on the test spindle, the tire rolls against the outer surface of the drum and through the chuck hole recess, the carrier assembly slides on the rail assemblies in response to the displacement of the wheel as the tire and wheel rolls on the drum and through the chuck hole recess.