Vehicle Suspension Types: Coilovers vs Springs

The debate over coilovers vs springs regarding suspension systems generally leans in favor of coilovers. The coilover suspension is something that has a lot of do-it-yourself auto customizers talking. This innovative system, available as an aftermarket addition, came from the race track to the common car population over time, and now the average driver can enjoy more of the engineering that makes race cars so cool. Specifically, the coilover allows for an enhanced suspension system by offering a single piece, made of a spring wrapped around a shock absorber that helps with what's called "damping" or absorbing impact on the road. Here are some of the commonly reported good and bad points of having a coilover on your vehicle. Advantages of a Coilover Suspension

Good handling. Some enthusiasts point to improved handling with coilovers as opposed to some of the stock suspension systems that come from the factory. Setting up a custom suspension can help that system do more of the work in cornering and other parts of the drive. Adjustability. Drivers love that these custom suspensions are adjustable. That's great for anyone who wants a "low ride" for their car. On the other hand, for off-road coilovers, a high setting will often be preferable. Being able to set your suspension any way you want to is a huge plus for these kinds of systems. Prestige. Telling your auto-buff friends that you installed a coilover suspension will probably get you some points. The better kinds of coilovers are well regarded in the car community as useful custom aftermarket parts, and some of the best cars around run on these kinds of specialized setups.

Cons of a Coilover Suspension

Stiff ride. Some drivers report that coilovers lead to a stiff, uncomfortable ride. In some cases, this is because poor quality coilovers were not able to be configured correctly. Buying cheaper coilovers can really compromise ride quality and even safety, so experts recommend springing for a set with a good reputation. Possible failure. As mentioned, cheap and poorly made coilovers can be a real liability on the road. Some "sleeve type" designs can fail in certain kinds of driving. Read up on various kinds of coilovers before buying, to make sure they're not getting into a situation involving added risk on the road. Space hogging setups. There's only so much room under the frame of your car, and for some drivers, coilovers tend to eat up more than their share. Coilovers can come into contact with parts like a sway bar, tangle up wires and cables for systems like antilock brakes, or even end up in contact with tires, chewing off the sidewall. These are serious issues, and you should look carefully at your particular wheel area before trying to fit another item into your car.

Leaf Springs Leaf spring suspension is a simpler system because the vehicle's axle suspends the spring. This makes it sturdier, with higher load bearing limits. It also comes in useful when jacking a car or truck up because the leaf springs respond better to being lifted. They are also less expensive. There are downsides to a leaf spring suspension. They are less adjustable and having fixed points around the chassis of the vehicle offers far less movement, making them slightly more bumpy.

Types of Automotive suspension spring

1. Outline In automotive suspension systems, the springs used are metallic springs and non-metallic springs

Metallic springs Leaf springs Coil springs Torsion bar springs Non-metallic springs Rubber springs 1. Outline In automotive suspension systems, the springs used are metallic springs and non-metallic springs

Metallic springs Leaf springs Coil springs Torsion bar springs Non-metallic springs Rubber springs Air springs 2. Leaf springs Leaf springs are made of a number of curved bands of spring steel, called leaves, stacked together in order from shortest to longest. This stack of leaves is fastened together at the center with a center bolt or a rivet and to keep the leaves from slipping out of place, they are held at several places with clips. Both ends of the longest (main) leaf are bent to form spring eyes, used to attach the spring to the frame or to a structural member such as a side member. Generally, the longer a leaf spring, the softer it will be. Also, the more leaves in a leaf spring, the greater the load they will withstand, but on the other hand, the spring will become firmer and riding comfort will suffer.

Characteristics:

Since the springs themselves have adequate rigidity to hold the axle in the proper position, it is not necessary to use linkages for this. They function to control their own oscillation through inter-leaf friction. They have sufficient durability for heavy-duty use. Due to inter-leaf friction, it is difficult for them to absorb the minute vibrations from the road surface. Therefore leaf springs are generally used for large commercial vehicles which carry heavy loads and for which durability is highly regarded. The curvature of each leaf is called nip. Since the nip of a leaf is greater the shorter the leaf, each leaf curves more sharply than the one above it in the stack. When the center bolt is tightened, the leaves flatten somewhat, as shown in the illustration in the left, causing the ends of the leaves to press very tightly against one another. The overall curvature of the leaf spring is called camber. However, this friction also causes a decrease in riding comfort, since it prevents the spring from flexing easily. The purpose of nip

When a spring is flexed, nip causes the leaves in the spring to rub together, and the friction created by this rubbing quickly damps the oscillations of the spring. This friction is called inter-leaf friction, and is one of the greatest features of the leaf spring. However, this friction also causes a decrease in riding comfort, since it prevents the spring from flexing easily. Therefore, leaf springs are mainly used on commercial vehicles.

When the spring rebounds, nip prevents gaps from occurring between each of the leaves, thus preventing dirt and sand, etc., from penetrating between the leaves and causing wear. Measure to reduce inter-leaf friction Silencer pads are inserted between each of the leaves at their ends to improve the sliding of the leaves against each other. Each of the leaves is also tapered at the ends so that they exert the proper amount of pressure when they come in contact with each other. Helper springs In trucks and many other vehicles which undergo great fluctuations in their loads, helper springs are used. The helper spring is installed above the main spring. When the load is light, only the main spring operates, but when the load exceeds a certain value, both the main and helper springs come into operation 3. Coil springs Coil springs are made from rods of special spring steel formed into the shape of a coil. When a load is placed on a coil spring, the entire rod is twisted as the spring contracts. In this way, the energy of the external force is stored, and shock is cushioned. Characteristics:

The energy absorption rate per unit of weight is greater in comparison with leaf springs. Soft springs can be made. Since there is no inter-leaf friction as with leaf springs, there is no control of oscillation by the spring itself, so it is necessary to use shock absorbers along with them. Since there is no resistance to lateral forces, linkage mechanisms to support the axle (suspension arm, lateral control rod, etc.) are necessary Progressive spring If a coil spring is made from a rod of spring steel having a uniform diameter, the entire spring will flex uniformly in proportion to changes in the load. This means that if a soft spring is used, it will not be stiff enough to handle heavy loads,

while if a hard spring is used, it will give a rough ride when only lightly loaded. However, if a rod having a constantly-changing diameter is used, as shown in the left, the ends of the spring will have a lower spring rate than the center. Consequently, under light loads, the ends of the spring will contract and absorb road shock. On the other hand, the center part of the spring will be stiff enough to handle heavy loads. Unequal-pitch spring, conical springs, etc. have the same effect. 4. Torsion bar springs A torsion bar spring (usually simply called a torsion bar) is a spring-steel rod that uses its torsional elasticity to resist twisting. One end of the torsion- bar is anchored to the frame or other structural member of the body, and the other end to a component that is subjected a torsional load. Torsion bar springs are also used to make stabilizer bars. Characteristics:

Since the energy absorption rate per unit of weight is great as compared to other springs, the suspension can be lightened. The layout of the suspension system is simplified. As with coil springs, torsion bar springs do not control oscillation, so it is necessary to use shock absorbers along with them. 5. Rubber springs Rubber springs absorb oscillations through the generation of internal friction when they are deformed by an external force. Characteristics:

They can be made in any shape. They are silent during use They are not appropriate for use in supporting heavy loads. Therefore, rubber springs are used mainly as auxiliary springs or as bushings, spacers, cushions, stoppers and other supports for the suspension components. 6. Air springs Air springs make use of the fact that air has elasticity or springiness when compressed. Characteristics:

They are extremely soft when the vehicle is not loaded, but their spring constant can be increased as the load is increased by increasing the air pressure inside the chamber. This provides optimum riding comfort both when the vehicle is lightly loaded, and when it is fully loaded.

The height of the vehicle can be kept constant, even if the load changes, by adjusting the air pressure. However, in air suspensions using air springs, devices for controlling the air pressure and compressors for compressing air, etc., are necessary, so the suspension becomes complex. Currently, the electronically-modulated air suspension, which incorporates this type of air spring, is offered as an option in some models.