Suspension Systems

Summaries

Suspension Systems Fundamental principles

Principles of suspension
Sprung mass refers to vehicle parts supported on the springs, such as the body, frame, and engine. Unsprung mass includes parts of the steering and suspension not supported by springs, such as wheels, tires, and brake assemblies.

Unsprung weight
Parts of a vehicle not supported by the suspension system are known as unsprung weight.

Suspension force
Leaf springs absorb applied force by flattening out under load. Coil springs absorb force of impact by twisting. Torsion bars twist around their center.

Wheel unit location

Driving thrust, braking torque, and cornering force operate to displace wheel units. These forces must be transferred to the vehicle frame, but the wheel units must stay aligned with each other, and with the frame.

Dampening
Dampening prevents or reduces the bouncing effect of oscillation by absorbing the energy from the oscillation.

Types of suspension
Suspension systems
The purpose of the suspension system is to isolate the vehicle body from road bumps and vibrations, while keeping the wheels in contact with the road.

Solid axle
The solid, or beam, axle is used in the rear suspension of many front-engined, rear-wheel drive cars, and light commercial vehicles, and as the front suspension on many heavy commercial vehicles.

Dead axle
A dead axle only supports the vehicle and doesnt transmit any drive. With a live axle, the drive is transmitted through the final drive unit and axles to the wheels.

Independent suspension
Independent suspension helps keep unsprung mass low. Also, if a wheel hits an irregularity, it wont upset the opposite wheel on the same axle. It allows wheel camber to be adjusted, or designed into the suspension geometry.

Rear independent suspension

For independent suspension on the rear of a vehicle, many FWD cars use a McPherson strut at the rear. On RWD vehicles, the suspension has to allow for the external drive shafts.

2005 DVP Licensing Pty Ltd

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Suspension Systems

Summaries

Suspension Systems Types of suspension (continued)

Rear-wheel drive independent suspension
On rear-wheel drive vehicles with independent suspension, the final drive unit is fixed to the vehicle frame. Drive is transmitted to each wheel by external drive shafts.

Adaptive air suspension

Adaptive air suspension is an electronically controlled air suspension system at all four wheels with a continuously adaptive damping system.

Adaptive air suspension operation

The height sensor uses the induction principle to constantly monitor the distance between the vehicles axle and its chassis.

Suspension system layouts

Driven rear suspension layouts
There are several different driven or live axle rear suspension system layouts.

Non-driven rear suspension layouts

There are several different non-driven or dead rear suspension system layouts.

Independent rear suspension layouts

There are several different layouts that use independent driven or live axle rear suspension systems.

Front suspension layouts

Front suspension layouts can use live or dead axle systems.

Suspension system components

Coil springs
The load-carrying ability of a coil spring depends on the wire diameter, the overall spring diameter, its shape, and the spacing of the coils. Coil springs can look alike but give very different load ratings, which are often color coded for identification.

Leaf springs
A leaf spring locates the axle housing longitudinally and laterally. It sustains torque reaction on acceleration, and braking torque on deceleration. Driving thrust transfers through the front half of the spring to the fixed shackle point.

Torsion bars
A torsion bar is fixed to the chassis or sub-frame at one end, and the suspension control arm at the other. Deflection of the suspension causes the bar to twist around its center, to provide the springing action.

2005 DVP Licensing Pty Ltd

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Suspension Systems

Summaries

Suspension Systems Suspension system components (continued)

Rubber springs
Increasing the load on a suspension causes the rubber cone to act like a spring being deformed. When the load is removed, the rubbers elastic properties tend to return it to its original state.

Hydraulic shock absorbers

The dampening action of a hydraulic shock absorber comes from transferring oil, under pressure, through valves that restrict the oil flow. Resistance to motion is low when the piston moves slowly, and high when its velocity is high.

Gas-pressurised shock absorbers

Shock absorber dissolve can be reduced by pressurising the fluid with nitrogen.

Load-adjustable shock absorbers

The rubber air cylinder in the load-adjustable shock absorber can be pressurised to assist suspension springs that are under load. Changing the pressure in the cylinder can alter ride height, and the stiffness of the suspension.

Manual adjustable-rate shock absorbers

In a manual adjustable-rate shock absorber, the position of the valves in the piston can be changed, to vary the number of restrictions the oil has to pass through, and to vary the force needed to open the valves.

Electronic adjustable-rate shock absorbers

The electronic adjustable-rate shock absorber has a rotary solenoid that can alter dampening rate by changing the number of restrictions the oil must pass through, and varying the force needed to open the valves.

Automatic load-adjustable shock absorbers

Automatic load-adjustable shock absorbers maintain vehicle ride at a pre-set level, according to the load placed over the rear axle.

2005 DVP Licensing Pty Ltd

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