Patent ID: 7195272

Claim:
A vehicle comprising: first and second elongated spaced apart frame rails; a front vehicle axle extending in a transverse direction relative to the frame rails, the front axle comprising first and second end portions; a first suspension associated with the first end portion of the front axle and coupling the first end portion of the front axle to the first frame rail, the first suspension comprising a first leaf spring including a central portion overlying and pivotally coupled to the first end portion of the front axle for pivoting relative to the front axle about a first leaf spring pivot, the first leaf spring also including respective first forward and first rear leaf spring end portions coupled to the first frame rail, a first control rod having a first end portion pivotally coupled to the first end portion of the front axle for pivoting about a first pivot which is below the first leaf spring pivot, the first control rod having a second end portion pivotally coupled to the first frame rail for pivoting about a second pivot, and a second control rod having a first end portion pivotally coupled to the first end portion of the front axle for pivoting about a third pivot which is below the first pivot, the second end portion of the second control rod being pivotally coupled to the first frame rail for pivoting about a fourth pivot; a second suspension associated with the second end portion of the front axle and coupling the second end portion of the front axle to the second frame rail, the second suspension comprising a second leaf spring including a central portion overlying and pivotally coupled to the second end portion of the front axle for pivoting relative to the front axle about a second leaf spring pivot, the second leaf spring also including respective second forward and second rear leaf spring end portions coupled to the second frame rail, a third control rod having a first end portion pivotally coupled to the second end portion of the front axle for pivoting about a fifth pivot which is below the second leaf spring pivot, the third control rod having a second end portion pivotally coupled to the respective second frame rail for pivoting about a sixth pivot, and a fourth control rod having a first end portion pivotally coupled to the second end portion of the front axle for pivoting about a seventh pivot which is below the fifth pivot, the second end portion of the fourth control rod being pivotally coupled to the second frame rail for pivoting about an eighth pivot.