Axle alignment bushing

Abstract

A C-shaped bushing has a pair of spaced walls with inner and outer surfaces adapted to be inserted between the front and rear coupling members of a frame connected strut arm and a pair of opposed intermediary lugs projecting from a front axle of a four wheel drive vehicle to maintain the axle in positive caster alignment. The bushing has spaced side webs arranged to engage the exterior sides of the coupling members and prevent the bushing from sliding out of the members.

I claim: 
     
       1. A strut arm coupling bushing adapted to maintain optimum alignment of a vehicular front axle comprising a C-shaped body formed for a bushing insert between front and rear members of a coupling and an intermediary pair of opposed front and rear lugs with top and bottom surfaces projecting from the axle, the body having opposed first and second transverse walls tapering longitudinally in thickness from an open end to a point adjacent a closed end of said body, including inner and outer surfaces for meshing with the enclosed surfaces of the members and the axle lugs and to apply pressure therein to maintain said axle in alignment, and further including spaced side webs connected to C-shaped edges of the walls having a rim portion extending above the outer surfaces adjacent to the C-shaped edges for engagement with the outer sides of said members so as to retain said body securely within said members, the rim further merging into a thinner side web portion having a front edge formed into an arc of a circle adjacent to the open end of said body for contact with said axle beside said lugs. 
     
     
       2. A bushing as set forth in claim 1, wherein the cross-sectional area of said walls is defined by parallel sides and the inner and outer transverse surfaces which form elongated V-shaped vertices disposed midway between the sides, and said walls vary longitudinally in thickness from a first thickness at the open end to a second thickness at a point approximately 1/3 of the length from open to closed ends of said body at which point said walls merge together into a uniformly thick, arcuately shaped, transverse end wall. 
     
     
       3. A bushing as set forth in claim 1, wherein the overall thickness of the second wall is greater than that of the first wall and when said body is inserted within said front member said second wall exerts an upward pressure on the front lug and similarly, when inserted in reverse order within said rear member said second wall exerts a downward pressure on said rear lug wherein the combined pressure rotates said axle to a positive caster setting. 
     
     
       4. A bushing as set forth in claim 1, wherein said body is constructed of a durable plastic material. 
     
     
       5. A strut arm coupling bushing adapted to maintain a vehicular front axle in positive alignment comprising a C-shaped formed body having spaced first and second transverse walls for inserting within a front and rear coupling member and mesh with the upper and lower surfaces of a pair of opposed front and rear tapered lugs projecting from the axle, the walls being tapered longitudinally and having a maximum wall thickness at approximately 1/3 wall length from an open to closed end of said body, said walls further having an outer surface for intimate registry with an inner surface of the coupling members and an inner surface with the outer surfaces of the front and rear lugs for applying pressure thereon to maintain said axle in positive alignment, including spaced side webs connected to C-shaped edges of said walls for securing said body within said members, the side webs including a rim portion projecting above the outer surface of said walls adapted to enclose the outer side edges of said members and prevent said body from slipping sideways out of the coupled members, and further including said side webs substantially thinner than the rim portions and having arcuate shaped front edges at the open end for engaging said axle adjacent to the opposite sides of said lugs enclosed within said members. 
     
     
       6. A bushing as set forth in claim 5, wherein said walls have a transverse cross-sectional area defined by spaced parallel sides and spaced inner and outer wall surfaces tapering into V-shaped vertices disposed in a vertical plane passing longitudinally through the center of said body, and said walls vary from a first thickness at the open end to a second greater thickness at 1/3 of the distance from said open end to the closed end of said body at which point the overall thickness of said wall is greater than that of said first wall and said walls merge together into a transverse, arcuately shaped end wall of uniform thickness. 
     
     
       7. A bushing as set forth in claim 5, wherein the difference in wall thickness between said first and second walls provide an interior space canted at an angle to a horizontal plane passing through the center of said body such that when said body is inserted within said front member said second wall exerts an upward pressure on said lower surface of said front lug and similarly when inserted in reverse position within said rear member said second wall exerts a downward pressure on said upper surface of said rear lug, and the combined torque load on said lugs move said axle in an upward rotation to a positive caster. 
     
     
       8. A bushing as set forth in claim 5, wherein said thickness of said first wall is approximately 9/16 of an inch at said open end and 11/16 of an inch at the 1/3 point of wall length and the corresponding thickness of said second wall is approximately 5/8 of an inch and 1 inch, respectively. 
     
     
       9. A bushing as set forth in claim 5, wherein the caster will vary from approximately 2° to 5° positive caster depending upon the condition and wear and tear of the relative elements connected to said front axle. 
     
     
       10. A bushing as set forth in claim 5, wherein said body is moulded of a polyester material in substantially riged form adapted to exert a constant torque load on said axle. .Iadd.11. In a vehicle suspension structure including an axle twistable for adjusting the alignment of the suspension structure, a lug projecting generally radially from the axle and a coupling member leaving a concave interior surface for embracing the lug circumferentially of the axle, the improvement comprising an insert fittable over the lug and into registration with the concave interior surface of the coupling member for being clamped between the lug and the coupling member, said insert being shaped for applying force to said lug generally circumferentially of the axle as the coupling member is moved over said insert and said insert is moved over the lug to twist the axle and thereby adjust the vehicle suspension structure. .Iaddend. .Iadd.12. In a vehicle suspension structure including an axle having a generally radially elongated, generally horizontally projecting lug with top and bottom surfaces, and a coupling member having a concave interior surface including having a top surface for overlying the top surface of the lug and a bottom surface for underlying the bottom surface of the lug, the improvement comprising an insert fittable over the lug and into registration with the concave interior surface of the coupling member for being clamped between the lug and the coupling member, said insert having top and bottom branches of different thicknesses, respectively, for applying differential forces to the lug as the coupling member and the axle are moved relative to clamp said insert for twisting the axle relative to the coupling member and thereby adjusting the vehicle suspension structure. .Iaddend. .Iadd.13. In a vehicle suspension structure including an axle having an elongated, generally radially projecting lug and a coupling member having a concave interior surface for receiving the lug, the improvement comprising an insert fittable into the coupling member and having an elongated interior cavity for receiving the elongated lug, the length of said insert cavity being canted relative to the length of the coupling member concave interior surface when said insert is fitted in the coupling member for applying force to the lug in a direction circumferentially of the axle by moving the coupling member and said insert toward the axle over the lug which force twists the axle relative to the coupling member. .Iaddend. .Iadd.14. The method of adjusting a vehicle suspension structure of the type including an axle having a generally radially elongated, generally horizontally projecting lug with top and bottom surfaces and a coupling member having a top surface for overlying the top surface of the lug and a bottom surface for underlying the bottom surface of the lug, which method comprises placing between the lug and the coupling an insert having top and bottom branches of respectively different thicknesses, and moving the coupling and the lug together and to force the thicker branch of the insert against the lug for twisting the axle relative to the coupling member to adjust the suspension structure. .Iaddend. .Iadd.15. The method of adjusting the alignment of a vehicle suspension structure of the type including an axle having a generally radially elongated lug, and a coupling member having a concave interior surface for receiving the lug, which method comprises placing between the lug and the pocket of the coupling member an insert having an elongated interior cavity for receiving the elongated lug which cavity is canted relative to the coupling member concave interior surface, and thereafter moving the coupling member and the lug together to clamp the insert therebetween and thereby applying twisting force to the axle by urging the lug into alignment with the canted insert cavity to adjust the vehicle suspension structure. .Iaddend.