Off road vehicle

Abstract

An off-road vehicle includes a frame, a front suspension, and a rear suspension. In some examples of the off-road vehicle, the rear suspension includes trailing arms with are pivotally attached to the frame rearward of an operator area. Further, the frame can include a front subframe assembly and a rear subframe assembly which are easily removable from the main frame of the vehicle to permit access to various components of the off-road vehicle.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A vehicle comprising:
 a vehicle frame;   a front subframe and a rear subframe, wherein the front subframe and the rear subframe are removable from the vehicle frame;   a rear bulkhead, the rear bulkhead forwardly of the rear of the rear subframe; an engine, the engine being transverse to the longitude of the vehicle;   and a wishbone trailing arm suspension.   
     
     
         2 . The vehicle of  claim 1 , further comprising a front differential. 
     
     
         3 . The vehicle of  claim 2 , further comprising a rear differential. 
     
     
         4 . The vehicle of  claim 1 , further comprising a rear cradle, the rear cradle suspending the engine above a lower frame members. 
     
     
         5 . The vehicle of  claim 4 , wherein the rear cradle suspends the engine above a portion of the rear subframe. 
     
     
         6 . The vehicle of  claim 5 , further comprising a transmission. 
     
     
         7 . The vehicle of  claim 6 , wherein the rear bulkhead is coupled to the transmission. 
     
     
         8 . The vehicle of  claim 7 , wherein the engine, transmission, bulkhead are removable from the vehicle as a first assembly. 
     
     
         9 . The vehicle of  claim 8 , further comprising an oil tank that is remote from the engine. 
     
     
         10 . The vehicle of  claim 9 , wherein the oil tank is removable as part of the first assembly without disconnecting oil lines. 
     
     
         11 . The vehicle of  claim 10 , further comprising a radiator, wherein the radiator is removable as part of the first assembly without disconnecting coolant lines. 
     
     
         12 . The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the wishbone trailing arm suspension attaches to the frame at two locations. 
     
     
         13 . The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the wishbone trailing arm suspension is coupled to the frame via an adjuster, the adjuster configured to dynamically adjust camber angle during operation of the vehicle. 
     
     
         14 . The vehicle of  claim 13 , wherein the adjuster comprises an actuator. 
     
     
         15 . An off-road vehicle comprising:
 a main frame;   a front suspension pivotably coupled to the main frame;   a rear suspension pivotably coupled to the main frame, the rear suspension comprising a first trailing arm and a second trailing arm, the first and second trailing arms being generally parallel to one another, the first trailing arm being above the second trailing arm, wherein the first trailing arm has a greater cross-sectional area than the second trailing arm.   
     
     
         16 . The off-road vehicle of  claim 15  further comprising a plurality of lateral links and a wheel hub, the later links coupled to the main frame and the wheel hub, wherein the lateral links extend laterally and rearwardly. 
     
     
         17 . The off-road vehicle of  claim 15  further comprising a dry sump oiling system. 
     
     
         18 . An off-road vehicle comprising:
 a frame, the frame comprising a plurality of tubular frame members, including a upper rear frame member and lower rear frame member, the upper and lower rear frame members each having a portion thereof extending laterally, wherein the rear most portion of the lower rear frame member and the rear most portion of the upper rear frame member lie on a common plane that is orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the off-road vehicle.   
     
     
         19 . The off-road vehicle of  claim 18  further comprising a 5-link rear suspension. 
     
     
         20 . The off-road vehicle of  claim 19  further comprising a coil-over shock and an A-arm front suspension including a lower A-arm member and an upper A-arm member, the coil over shock being pivotally attached to the lower A-arm.