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Car Suspension at a Glance
Automobile performance is normally related to horsepower, torque and zero-to-60 acceleration. But all of the power generated by a piston engine is useless if the car cannot be controlled. And so the suspension system has so much importance.
The car suspension maximizes the friction between the tires and the road surface, to provide steering stability with good handling and to guarantee the comfort of the passengers.
Suspensions wouldn't be necessary if roads were perfectly flat, with no irregularities. The imperfections apply forces to the wheels. Newton's laws of motion states that all forces have both magnitude and direction. A bump in the road causes the wheel to move up and down perpendicular to the road surface. The magnitude, of course, depends on whether the wheel is striking a giant bump or a tiny speck. Either way, the car wheel will be involved in a vertical acceleration as it passes over an imperfection.
In the absence of an intervening structure, all of wheel's vertical energy is transferred to the frame and it will start moving in the same direction. In such a situation, the wheels can lose contact with the road completely. Then, under the downward force of gravity, the wheels can bang back into the road surface. What you need is a system that will absorb the energy of the vertically accelerated wheel, allowing the frame and body to ride undisturbed while the wheels follow bumps in the road.
The car suspension maximizes the friction between the tires and the road surface, to provide steering stability with good handling and to guarantee the comfort of the passengers.
Suspensions wouldn't be necessary if roads were perfectly flat, with no irregularities. The imperfections apply forces to the wheels. Newton's laws of motion states that all forces have both magnitude and direction. A bump in the road causes the wheel to move up and down perpendicular to the road surface. The magnitude, of course, depends on whether the wheel is striking a giant bump or a tiny speck. Either way, the car wheel will be involved in a vertical acceleration as it passes over an imperfection.
In the absence of an intervening structure, all of wheel's vertical energy is transferred to the frame and it will start moving in the same direction. In such a situation, the wheels can lose contact with the road completely. Then, under the downward force of gravity, the wheels can bang back into the road surface. What you need is a system that will absorb the energy of the vertically accelerated wheel, allowing the frame and body to ride undisturbed while the wheels follow bumps in the road.
The study of the forces at work on a moving car is called vehicle dynamics, and the dynamics of a moving car can be considered from two perspectives: Ride is a car's capability to smooth out a bumpy road and handling - a car's ability to safely accelerate, brake and corner.
The suspension of a car belongs to a part of the chassis, which comprises all of the important systems located beneath the car's body. And these systems include: The frame is a structural, load-carrying component that supports the car's engine and body, and they are supported by the suspension. The suspension system is a setup that supports weight, absorbs and dampens shock and helps maintain tire contact. The steering system mechanism enables the driver to guide and direct the vehicle. The tires and wheels components make vehicle motion possible by way of grip and/or friction with the road. So the suspension is just one of the most important systems in any vehicle.
The three fundamental components of any suspension are springs, dampers and anti-sway bars. Springing systems are based on one of four basic designs:
Coil springs - This is the most common type of spring and is a heavy-duty torsion bar coiled around an axis. Coil springs apply pressure and inflate to absorb the motion of the wheels.
Leaf springs - It consists of several layers of metal bound together that makes a single unit. Leaf springs were first used on horse-drawn carriages. They are still used today on most trucks and heavy-duty vehicles.
The suspension of a car belongs to a part of the chassis, which comprises all of the important systems located beneath the car's body. And these systems include: The frame is a structural, load-carrying component that supports the car's engine and body, and they are supported by the suspension. The suspension system is a setup that supports weight, absorbs and dampens shock and helps maintain tire contact. The steering system mechanism enables the driver to guide and direct the vehicle. The tires and wheels components make vehicle motion possible by way of grip and/or friction with the road. So the suspension is just one of the most important systems in any vehicle.
The three fundamental components of any suspension are springs, dampers and anti-sway bars. Springing systems are based on one of four basic designs:
Coil springs - This is the most common type of spring and is a heavy-duty torsion bar coiled around an axis. Coil springs apply pressure and inflate to absorb the motion of the wheels.
Leaf springs - It consists of several layers of metal bound together that makes a single unit. Leaf springs were first used on horse-drawn carriages. They are still used today on most trucks and heavy-duty vehicles.
Torsion bars - Torsion bars use the twisting properties of a steel bar to provide coil-spring-like performance.
Air springs - Air springs has a cylindrical chamber of air positioned between the wheel and the car's body, use the compressive qualities of air to absorb wheel vibrations.
Based on where springs those are located on a car between the wheels and the frame, it convenient to talk about the sprung mass and the unsprung mass.
The sprung mass is the mass of the vehicle supported on the springs, where as the unsprung mass is loosely defined as the mass between the road and the suspension springs. The stiffness of the springs affects how the sprung mass responds while the car is being driven. Loosely sprung cars, for example, the luxury cars can swallow bumps and provide a super-smooth ride. Tightly sprung cars, such as sports cars are less forgiving on bumpy roads, but they minimize body motion well, which means they can be driven uncompromisingly, even around corners.
Designing and implementing a spring on a car to balance passenger comfort with handling is a complex task. And to make matters more complex, springs by itself can't provide a perfectly smooth ride. And the reason being springs are great at absorbing energy, but not so good at dissipating it.
Air springs - Air springs has a cylindrical chamber of air positioned between the wheel and the car's body, use the compressive qualities of air to absorb wheel vibrations.
Based on where springs those are located on a car between the wheels and the frame, it convenient to talk about the sprung mass and the unsprung mass.
The sprung mass is the mass of the vehicle supported on the springs, where as the unsprung mass is loosely defined as the mass between the road and the suspension springs. The stiffness of the springs affects how the sprung mass responds while the car is being driven. Loosely sprung cars, for example, the luxury cars can swallow bumps and provide a super-smooth ride. Tightly sprung cars, such as sports cars are less forgiving on bumpy roads, but they minimize body motion well, which means they can be driven uncompromisingly, even around corners.
Designing and implementing a spring on a car to balance passenger comfort with handling is a complex task. And to make matters more complex, springs by itself can't provide a perfectly smooth ride. And the reason being springs are great at absorbing energy, but not so good at dissipating it.
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