Vehicle suspension bushing assembly and method of assembling the same

1. A vehicle suspension bushing assembly including:

an inner sleeve extending longitudinally between a first inner sleeve end and a second inner sleeve end, said inner sleeve defining a longitudinal axis;

a bearing extending annularly about said inner sleeve;

an intermediate sleeve extending annularly about said bearing;

an outer sleeve extending annularly about said intermediate sleeve in a radially spaced relationship;

a bushing including a body portion that is disposed radially between said outer sleeve and said intermediate sleeve;

at least one axial retainer extending annularly about one of said first inner sleeve end and said second inner sleeve end, said axial retainer being separate from and not contiguously formed with said bushing and longitudinally moveable relative to said inner sleeve between an uncompressed position and a compressed position; and

said at least one axial retainer having a preload feature that is resilient and operable to deflect from an unbiased position when said axial retainer is in said uncompressed position to a biased position when said axial retainer is in said compressed position, said preload feature of said axial retainer operably applying a longitudinal preload force to at least one of said intermediate sleeve and said bearing in said biased position.

2. The vehicle suspension bushing assembly set forth in claim 1 , wherein said preload feature of said axial retainer includes a flange segment that extends radially outwardly away from said longitudinal axis.

3. The vehicle suspension bushing assembly set forth in claim 2 , wherein said axial retainer includes an axial retainer inside surface, an axial retainer outside surface, a hinge segment adjacent said flange segment, and an enlarged segment adjacent said hinge segment, said axial retainer inside surface being cylindrical in shape, and said axial retainer outside surface including an annular groove at said hinge segment such that said axial retainer has a radial thickness that varies along a longitudinal length of said axial retainer.

4. The vehicle suspension bushing assembly set forth in claim 3 , wherein said axial retainer includes an end segment adjacent said enlarged segment, said axial retainer outside surface includes an annular step at said end segment, and said radial thickness of said axial retainer is less at said end segment than said radial thickness at said enlarged segment due to said annular step.

5. The vehicle suspension bushing assembly set forth in claim 4 , wherein said bushing includes at least one seal portion that extends longitudinally beyond said outer sleeve, said intermediate sleeve, and said bearing, said seal portion including a lip extending radially inwardly towards said inner sleeve that is longitudinally aligned with and received by said annular step of said axial retainer.

6. The vehicle suspension bushing assembly set forth in claim 3 , wherein said radial thickness of said axial retainer is less at said hinge segment than said radial thickness at said flange segment and said radial thickness at said enlarged segment due to said annular groove.

7. The vehicle suspension bushing assembly set forth in claim 2 , wherein said axial retainer includes an internal axial retainer end face at said flange segment and an external axial retainer end face opposite said internal axial retainer end face, said internal axial retainer end face configured to abut said intermediate sleeve when said vehicle suspension bushing assembly is assembled.

8. The vehicle suspension bushing assembly set forth in claim 7 , wherein said internal axial retainer end face is arranged at an inwardly facing angle that is less than ninety degrees relative to said longitudinal axis such that said internal axial retainer end face angles away from and does not contact said bearing.

9. The vehicle suspension bushing assembly set forth in claim 7 , wherein said external axial retainer end face projects longitudinally beyond one of said first inner sleeve end and said second inner sleeve end prior to installation of said vehicle suspension bushing assembly.

10. The vehicle suspension bushing assembly set forth in claim 1 , wherein said at least one axial retainer includes a first axial retainer extending annularly about said first inner sleeve end and a second axial retainer extending annularly about said second inner sleeve end.

11. The vehicle suspension bushing assembly set forth in claim 10 , wherein said bushing includes a first seal portion and a second seal portion that extend longitudinally beyond said outer sleeve, said intermediate sleeve, and said bearing and over at least part of said first axial retainer and at least part of said second axial retainer.

12. The vehicle suspension bushing assembly set forth in claim 1 , wherein said axial retainer includes an axial retainer inside surface and said inner sleeve includes an inner sleeve outside surface that abuts said axial retainer inside surface in a press fit such that said axial retainer rotates with said inner sleeve while remaining longitudinally movable relative to said inner sleeve between said uncompressed position and said compressed position.

13. The vehicle suspension bushing assembly set forth in claim 12 , wherein said outer sleeve includes an outer sleeve inside surface and said bushing includes an outside bushing surface that abuts said outer sleeve inside surface, said intermediate sleeve includes an intermediate sleeve outside surface and said bushing includes an inside bushing surface that abuts said intermediate sleeve outside surface, and said intermediate sleeve includes an intermediate sleeve inside surface and said bearing includes an outside bearing surface that abuts said intermediate sleeve inside surface in a press fit such that said outer sleeve, said bushing, said intermediate sleeve, and said bearing all rotate together as a single rotational unit, and wherein said bearing includes an inside bearing surface that abuts said inner sleeve outside surface in a slip fit such that said inner sleeve and said axial retainer remain free to rotate relative to said outer sleeve, said bushing, said intermediate sleeve, and said bearing.

14. The vehicle suspension bushing assembly set forth in claim 1 , wherein said axial retainer is made of at least one polymeric material.

15. The vehicle suspension bushing assembly set forth in claim 1 , wherein longitudinal movement of said axial retainer relative to said inner sleeve between said uncompressed position and said compressed position occurs in a direction parallel to said longitudinal axis.

16. A vehicle suspension bushing assembly including:

an inner sleeve extending longitudinally between a first inner sleeve end and a second inner sleeve end, said inner sleeve including a longitudinal bore that extends within said inner sleeve along a longitudinal axis;

a bearing extending annularly about said inner sleeve;

an intermediate sleeve extending annularly about said bearing;

an outer sleeve extending annularly about said intermediate sleeve in a radially spaced relationship, said outer sleeve and said intermediate sleeve being co-axially arranged relative to said longitudinal axis;

a bushing including a body portion that is disposed radially between said outer sleeve and said intermediate sleeve;

a vehicle suspension control arm;

a connection member received in and extending through said longitudinal bore in said inner sleeve that is configured to be connected to said vehicle suspension control arm;

at least one axial retainer extending annularly about one of said first inner sleeve end and said second inner sleeve end, said axial retainer being not contiguously formed with said bushing and longitudinally moveable relative to said inner sleeve between an uncompressed position and a compressed position; and

said at least one axial retainer having a preload feature including a flange segment extending radially outwardly away from said longitudinal axis that is resilient and configured to apply a longitudinal preload force to said intermediate sleeve when said flange segment of said axial retainer is pushed against said intermediate sleeve and deflects as said axial retainer moves longitudinally from said uncompressed position to said compressed position.

17. The vehicle suspension bushing assembly set forth in claim 16 , wherein said connection member is a bolt and includes a bolt head, a shaft with threads, and a nut threadingly engaged with said threads of said shaft in an arrangement where said bolt head is disposed adjacent to said first inner sleeve end, said shaft extends through said longitudinal bore in said inner sleeve, and said nut is disposed adjacent to said second inner sleeve end.

18. The vehicle suspension bushing assembly set forth in claim 17 , wherein said axial retainer moves longitudinally from said uncompressed position to said compressed position in response to said nut threadingly engaging said shaft of said connection member and one of said bolt head and said nut abutting and pushing against said axial retainer as said vehicle suspension bushing assembly is installed.

19. A method of assembling a vehicle suspension bushing assembly comprising the steps of:

arranging an outer sleeve annularly about an intermediate sleeve such that the outer sleeve and the intermediate sleeve are radially spaced from one another and are co-axially aligned about a longitudinal axis;

molding a bushing of elastomeric material between the outer sleeve and the intermediate sleeve;

pressing a bearing into the intermediate sleeve;

inserting an inner sleeve into the bearing such that the inner sleeve and the bearing have a slip fit and the inner sleeve is freely rotatable relative to the bearing, intermediate sleeve, bushing, and outer sleeve; and

pressing at least one axial retainer directly onto the inner sleeve to provide a press fit between the axial retainer and the inner sleeve and advancing the axial retainer to an uncompressed position, the axial retainer including a flange segment that extends radially outwardly away from said longitudinal axis, and the press fit allowing the axial retainer to be translated longitudinally to a compressed position where the flange segment of the axial retainer is pushed against the intermediate sleeve and deflects, applying a longitudinal preload force to the intermediate sleeve.

20. The method set forth in claim 19 , further comprising the steps of:

installing the vehicle suspension bushing assembly in a vehicle suspension control arm;

inserting a connection member into the inner sleeve, the connection member including a bolt head and a shaft with threads; and

threading a nut onto the shaft of the connection member and tightening the nut to push one of the bolt head and the nut into the axial retainer, to press the axial retainer longitudinally towards the intermediate sleeve to the compressed position, and to cause the flange segment of the axial retainer to deflect and apply the longitudinal preload force to the intermediate sleeve as the flange segment of the axial retainer contacts and is pushed against the intermediate sleeve.