Wheel Assembly

Abstract

A wheel assembly for a vehicle includes a knuckle having an upper end and a lower end. A bracket is mounted to one of the upper end and the lower end of the knuckle by a plurality of fasteners. A ball joint is mounted to the bracket and configured for attaching the wheel assembly to the vehicle. One of the knuckle and the bracket defines a boss and the other defines a bore. The boss is slideably disposed within the bore in slip fit engagement. The boss transfers a load between the knuckle and the bracket in both a vertical direction along a king pin axis and a horizontal direction along a longitudinal axis of the vehicle.

1 . A wheel assembly for a vehicle, said assembly comprising:
 a knuckle having an upper end and a lower end spaced from said upper end;   a bracket mounted to one of said upper end and said lower end of said knuckle and defining an aperture for receiving a ball stud within said aperture; and   one of said knuckle and said bracket defining a boss and another of said knuckle and said bracket defining a bore with said boss in slip fit engagement within said bore to transfer a load between said knuckle and said bracket both vertically and horizontally with respect to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle.   
     
     
         2 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said bore includes a cross section defining a shape and wherein said boss includes a cross section defining a shape complimentary to said cross sectional shape of said bore for mating with said cross sectional shape of said bore. 
     
     
         3 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 2  wherein said cross sectional shape of said bore and said cross sectional shape of said boss include a circular cross sectional shape. 
     
     
         4 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said boss includes a diameter and said bore includes a diameter between the range of 40 microns and 120 microns larger than said diameter of said boss. 
     
     
         5 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 4  wherein said diameter of said boss is at least 20 mm. 
     
     
         6 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 5  wherein said diameter of said boss is at least 25 mm. 
     
     
         7 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said bracket includes a body with said boss extending from said body along a central axis. 
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 7  wherein said body and said boss are integrally formed. 
     
     
         11 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 7  wherein said knuckle defines said bore. 
     
     
         12 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 7  wherein said boss extends from said body of said bracket a boss length and said bore extends into said knuckle a bore distance with said bore distance greater than said boss length. 
     
     
         13 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 12  wherein said boss length is at least 15 mm. 
     
     
         14 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 13  wherein said boss length is at least 19 mm. 
     
     
         15 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said bracket defines a plurality of fastener apertures extending generally perpendicular to said knuckle. 
     
     
         16 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 15  further comprising a plurality of fasteners with each of said plurality of fasteners slideably disposed within one of said plurality of fastener apertures and in threaded engagement with said knuckle. 
     
     
         17 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said knuckle is manufactured from aluminum. 
     
     
         18 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said bracket includes an upper bracket mounted to said upper end of said knuckle and a lower bracket mounted to said lower end of said knuckle. 
     
     
         19 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 1  further comprising a wheel hub rotatably mounted to said knuckle.