Patent ID: 7416342

Claim:
A bushing assembly for a pivot connection between a vehicle frame and axle-supporting beam of a vehicle suspension to permit pivoting of the beam relative to the frame, the bushing assembly comprising: an inner metal sleeve having a central longitudinal axis about which a beam is adapted to pivot; a resilient annular bushing member of resilient material surrounding the inner metal sleeve, the bushing member having a radial inner surface adjacent the inner metal sleeve, a radial outer surface, a first end and a second end; and an outer metal sleeve surrounding the bushing member, the outer metal sleeve having a radial inner surface adjacent the bushing member and a radial outer surface, the outer surface of the resilient bushing member including at least one radially inwardly extending relieved region proximate one of the ends and spaced from the radial inner surface to facilitate deflection of the bushing member in the radially inward direction, and wherein the at least one relieved region does not extend about the entire radial outer surface wherein the at least one relieved region includes a pair of relieved regions axial juxtaposed across the bushing member from one another.