Marianne Martinez
The suspension system of a car is crucial for maintaining road contact and protecting the vehicle from damage. The design of the suspension system varies between different types of vehicles. For example, in front-engine rear-drive vehicles, the rear suspension is either live-axle or deDion axle. The suspension system can also vary between the front and rear of the same car. For instance, front-wheel-drive cars have fewer constraints on rear suspension, while rear-wheel-drive cars have more constraints. A Panhard rod is a suspension link that prevents lateral movement of the axle. It is a simple device consisting of a rigid bar running sideways in the same plane as the axle, connecting one end of the axle to the car body or chassis on the opposite side of the vehicle. The bar attaches on both ends with pivots that allow it to swivel upwards and downwards, restricting the axle's movement to the vertical plane. The suspension geometry of a car, such as the instant center and roll center, can be complex and require careful consideration.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Suspension lets the wheels move vertically with respect to the body, while preventing movement forward, backward, and side to side. |
| Components | Leaf springs, torsion bars, shock absorbers, dampers, coil springs, control arms, etc. |
| Types | Dependent, semi-independent, independent, non-independent, front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive, etc. |
| Factors | Wheel travel, spring rate, speed, unsprung weight, track link weight, etc. |
| Design | The geometry of suspension involves instant center, roll center, spring tension, pivot points, etc. |
| Examples | Panhard rod, Watt's linkage, live-axle, deDion axle, etc. |
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What You'll Learn
The Panhard rod
The purpose of automobile suspension is to enable the wheels to move vertically while preventing movement in the longitudinal and lateral directions. The Panhard rod consists of a rigid bar running sideways in the same plane as the axle, connecting one end of the axle to the car body or chassis on the opposite side of the vehicle. The bar attaches to the axle and the vehicle's frame using pivots, allowing it to swivel vertically while limiting the axle's movement to the vertical plane. This design prevents the axle from moving side to side, ensuring better alignment of the wheels with the driveshaft and the centre of the vehicle.
Panhard rods are typically used in vehicles with coil spring suspensions, as leaf spring suspensions usually provide sufficient lateral rigidity. They are commonly found in older vehicles with solid rear axles to improve handling. Drag racers may also benefit from using a Panhard rod, especially if they have switched from an IRS system to a solid rear axle. However, with the increasing popularity of independent rear suspension systems, Panhard bars have become less common in modern vehicles.
One disadvantage of the Panhard rod is that the body of the vehicle moves in an arc relative to the axle, with the radius equal to the length of the rod. This can result in excessive sideways movement between the axle and the body if the rod is too short. Therefore, Panhard rods are generally less desirable for smaller cars, although there are exceptions, such as the Mitsubishi Pajero Mini and Suzuki Jimny, where the off-road nature of the vehicles makes lateral movement less important.
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Leaf springs
One advantage of leaf springs is their simplicity, requiring no additional hardware to locate the axle. This makes them well-suited for high-load situations and provides better load-handling characteristics. Leaf springs are also more forgiving on rough and tacky dirt surfaces, making them a popular choice for dirt-track racing cars. Additionally, they are often used in race cars due to their lower cost and ease of maintenance compared to more complex suspension systems.
However, leaf springs also have some disadvantages. Over time, they can lose their elasticity and flatten out, affecting ride comfort and vehicle handling. Coil springs, on the other hand, bend and flex more easily, providing a wider range of suspension movement and giving automakers more tuning options. Additionally, leaf springs may not perform as well on slick tracks, as they tend to lose shape and cause changes in ride height and handling characteristics.
Despite their disadvantages, leaf springs continue to be used in certain vehicles and racing applications due to their simplicity, durability, and cost-effectiveness. They have played a significant role in the evolution of suspension systems and are still valued for their unique advantages in specific contexts.
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Torsion-bar suspension
A torsion bar suspension, also known as a torsion spring suspension, is any vehicle suspension that uses a torsion bar as its main weight-bearing spring. One end of a long metal bar is attached to the vehicle chassis, while the other end terminates in a lever (the torsion key) mounted perpendicular to the bar. This torsion key is attached to a suspension arm, a spindle, or the axle. The vertical motion of the wheel causes the bar to twist around its axis, and this twist is resisted by the bar's torsion resistance. The torsion resistance of the bar determines the effective spring rate, which can be adjusted by changing the bolts connecting the torsion bar to the frame cross member.
The torsion bar suspension provides a soft ride due to the elasticity of the bar, and it is also durable and easily adjustable. It is more compact than coil spring suspensions, taking up less interior volume. However, one of the disadvantages of torsion bar suspensions is that they do not provide a progressive spring rate, which can force owners to make compromises when chasing performance or comfort. Torsion bars were very attractive to vehicle designers in the middle of the 20th century when the mechanics of stress and metal fatigue were not well understood. They were first implemented in serially produced cars in the 1930s, and they are still loved by many performance enthusiasts today, especially outside the realm of mass-production passenger cars.
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Wheel travel and spring rate
Wheel travel refers to the vertical movement of the wheel relative to the vehicle's body. It is essential for absorbing bumps and maintaining contact between the tyre and the road surface. The greater the wheel travel, the better the vehicle can navigate uneven terrain without transmitting shocks to the chassis and occupants.
Spring rate, on the other hand, is the measure of a spring's stiffness or rigidity. It determines how much force is required to compress or extend the spring by a certain amount. The spring rate affects the suspension's ability to absorb impacts and maintain tyre contact with the road. A higher spring rate indicates a stiffer suspension, resulting in a firmer ride and improved handling. However, a very high spring rate may compromise ride quality and tyre traction.
When adjusting the suspension, it is essential to consider the interplay between wheel travel and spring rate. Increasing the stiffness of the suspension reduces the available wheel travel, potentially leading to a harsher ride. Therefore, finding the right balance between wheel travel and spring rate is critical to achieving optimal handling and ride comfort.
Additionally, the motion ratio, which is the ratio of wheel travel to spring travel, plays a crucial role in understanding the suspension's behaviour. By calculating the motion ratio, one can determine the effective stiffness of the suspension at the wheel, known as the wheel rate. This allows for a more precise understanding of how the suspension will perform in various conditions.
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Instant centre and roll centre
The roll centre, on the other hand, is the notional point at which the cornering forces in the suspension are reacted to the vehicle body. In other words, it is the point at which the lateral forces can be applied to the car's body without causing it to roll. The roll centre is determined by the suspension geometry, specifically by applying the principles of the instant centre of rotation. The roll centre is typically located at the centre line of the vehicle when the suspension on the left and right sides are mirror images of each other.
The roll centre is an important consideration in car design as it affects the vehicle's handling and stability. If the roll centre is higher off the ground, the car will tend to roll more in corners, which can be desirable for certain types of driving. On the other hand, a lower roll centre will provide a more stable platform and reduce body roll. Adjusting the instant centre at the track can also affect the roll centre and the overall suspension geometry, which can impact the car's performance.
The instant centre and roll centre are interrelated concepts, and understanding their interaction can help optimise a car's suspension setup. Analysing the individual wheel instant centres can provide insights into the effects of non-rolling weight transfer, which is important for understanding the car's dynamics during cornering. This type of analysis is known as the lateral-anti method and is particularly useful when there are asymmetries in the left-to-right suspension geometry.
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Frequently asked questions
A suspension system supports road holding/handling and ride quality. It helps maintain consistent contact between the road wheel and the road surface.
There are two types of suspension systems: dependent and independent. Dependent suspension systems are commonly found on trucks and vans and are connected to each other by an axle fitted with leaf springs and a damper at each end. Independent suspension systems are found in luxury cars and SUVs and use air suspension.
A Panhard rod is a suspension link that provides lateral location of the axle. It is a simple device designed to prevent lateral movement. It consists of a rigid bar running sideways in the same plane as the axle, connecting one end of the axle to the car body.
The suspension geometry in a pan car can be modelled by determining the instant centre and the roll centre. This involves finding the intersection of the lines of the hinged upper and lower arms. The pivot ball moves with the chassis, not the wheel, when calculating dynamic centres.
A shock absorber, or damper, helps to release the spring's energy in a controlled manner. It sits close to or inside the coil spring and looks like a thick, stubby bicycle pump. It absorbs the energy caused by the suspension moving when the car hits a bump, helping to contain the centrifugal forces that act on the car's body.
