Meritor Suspension Systems Company, Inc.

Alistair Bruce Christian Lovatt

Gerald D Anderson

Michael W Mattice

Thomas M Drouillard

Kermit G Rowe, Iii

John M Khoury

David Ian Fretwell

A method of enhancing the bending process of a stabilizer bar by locally pre-heating the stabilizer bar immediately prior to formation. By pre-heating the stabilizer bar, the stress in the stabilizer bar is relieved at the bending areas. This allows larger bars to be formed which would otherwise be outside of machine parameters. In the disclosed embodiments, the stabilizer bar is locally heated by induction coils or resistance heating at the bend areas.

Method of enhancing the bending process of a stabilizer bar

A stabilizer bar is provided having a varying cross-section along the length of the bar. In particular, the stabilizer bar includes a first cross-sectional area and a second cross-sectional area that is different than the first cross-sectional area. A first surface at least partially defines the second cross-sectional area. The first surface has a non-circular shape with primary and secondary load bearing directions bearing different maximum loads in each of the directions. The shape of the second cross-sectional area may be arranged so that the primary load bearing direction is generally aligned with the highest load. Similarly, the shape of the second cross-sectional area may be arranged in a manner to bear the highest torsional load. The stabilizer bar may be solid or hollow. Preferred shapes may include egg-shaped or elliptical shaped surfaces. Alternatively, the stabilizer bar may have a generally uniform cross-sectional area along its length with the non-circular shape described above.

Stabilizer bars with variable cross-sectional properties

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Sheffield, United Kingdom

Alistair Bruce Christian Lovatt