Importance

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Abstract

A motor vehicle steering knuckle and kingpin assembly comprising a kingpin fixedly mounted through the motor vehicle front axle or beam with the end portions of the kingpin projecting above and below the front axle or beam. A wheel spindle knuckle is pivotally mounted relative to the kingpin, the spindle knuckle having an upper yoke having a bore disposed around the kingpin upper end portion and a lower yoke having a bore disposed around the kingpin lower end portion, a bushing being installed in each of the yoke bores. The kingpin end portions have a frusto-conical peripheral surface and the yoke bushings have a cylindrical internal surface such that, under load, the bearing surfaces in engagement and capable of transmitting the load are along the whole length of the bearing surfaces. Alternatively, the kingpin end portions are provided with a peripheral cylindrical surface co-operating with an appropriate frusto-conical internal surface for the bushings. The invention also contemplates providing the kingpin end portions with a slightly spherical peripheral surface co-operating with yoke bushings having a cylindrical internal surface, or providing the kingpin end portions with a cylindrical peripheral surface co-operating with yoke bushings having an inversely spherical internal surface. Preferably, the kingpin end edges have a curved surface progressively blending with the peripheral surface of the kingpin end portions or, in structures where the kingpin end edges project beyond the bushing end edges, the bushing end edges are provided with a curved surface progressively blending with the internal surface of the bushings.

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First Claim