What Is A Suspension?
We know that when a car is driving, small stones on the road may turn into large potholes, which poses a great safety risk. Then the car suspension helps solve these problems. It is a part of the car that can provide cushioning for the car when there are bumps or cracks in the road surface. To be precise, it can offset most of the force generated when the car is driving on the road. Make sure the cab remains stationary. So, you can understand it this way, the suspension makes driving the car easier.
What Does a Car Suspension Do?
According to vehicle dynamics, a car’s driving quality refers to the car’s ability to drive on rough roads, and a car’s handling refers to the car’s ability to accelerate, turn, and brake safely.
The roads cars travel on are full of imperfections,and by understanding the principles of Road holding,Cornering,Road isolation, we understand that suspension systems are designed to handle those imperfections and support the vehicle.
Road holding is the principle that tires need to be kept in contact with the ground, as this is what ensures you can steer, brake and accelerate safely.
Cornering refers to the ability of the vehicle to travel a curved path while minimizing body roll.
Road isolation is how a vehicle is able travel undisturbed over rough and bumpy roads.
Suspension helps absorb energy from the tires and helps maximize friction between the tires and the road. Keeping the body and frame stable also helps make the car more comfortable to ride and ensures the driver’s steering stability and good controllability.
Main Car Suspension Parts
The body of a car is mounted on the chassis, which is the frame and lower part of the vehicle. The suspension system is part of the chassis. The suspension system consists of many components, as follows:
Control arm: When the car encounters bumps or other hazards while driving, the control arm moves up and down along the spring to help the tires maintain contact. It is the connecting rod that connects the frame to the steering knuckle or hub assembly.
Coil spring: When the road surface impacts the wheel, the coil spring absorbs kinetic energy through deformation and converts it into potential energy, thereby reducing the impact of the ground impact on the car body. It can reduce bumps and improve driving stability and comfort.
Strut: Typically combining multiple suspension components into a single assembly, a strut is the structural component of the suspension, which includes shock absorbers and coil springs.
Ball joints: The ball joints helps the control arm move up and down. It is an important part when the vehicle turns left and right.
Shock absorbers: Shock absorbers help ensure that the car’s tires are in contact with the road and control the impact of the coil springs. They work with coil springs.
Types Of Car Suspension
Dependent suspension system
Many rear-wheel cars and SUVs currently use Dependent suspension as the main suspension system.
Dependent suspension is best suited for rough terrain and roads. Since the wheels on both sides are dependent on each other, in this suspension system, a solid axle is fixed along the width of the frame, connecting the left and right wheel sets. When one side of the car turns, the other side also moves in that direction, so it is Operating as a whole, this system is called a Dependent suspension.
Independent suspension system
Many people prefer this over-reliant suspension because it provides a better, more comfortable ride. In this type of suspension, the wheels on each side react differently and there is no axle connection between the two sets of wheels on each side. So if one side of the wheel is hit, only the wheel on one side will be affected and not the other side.
There are several variations of this system, modified for different functions. For example, the rear independent suspension uses MacPherson struts with allowance for the outer axle. In this system, there is a drive shaft connected to the frame. Driveshaft provides driving force to the wheels
Semi-independent or twist beam suspension system
The system is simple in design and has the advantage of being low cost, durable and lightweight. Suspension is usually applied to the rear wheels. In this system, the movement of one wheel affects the other wheel to some extent.
Working Of A Suspension
Suspension uses springs, dampers and struts to achieve this working principle of force dissipation, the springs will retain energy and the dampers convert it into heat. It is to convert force into heat, thereby eliminating the possible effects of force. So next, we’ll show how they perform these steps:
Spring stores energy
There are two types of springs used in suspensions: leaf springs and coil springs. Leaf springs have a very high energy storage capacity and it is used on solid axles so basically leaf springs are used in trucks. Coil spring is a common spring.
A spring or coil stores energy by compressing its dimensions, thereby converting any type of force into energy, so the purpose of a spring in a suspension system is to store the energy generated when the car is bumped. But when using less durable materials, the springs may falter. The amount of energy a spring can hold depends on its length, material and spring rate. This material is included because some springs may be able to hold more energy.
When you accelerate the car or turn a corner, there are only springs in the car that keep it moving back and forth. Spring is good for providing cushioning, but your car will continue to bounce, leaving you completely unable to control it.To help the springs and keep the car under control, dampers are necessary.
Dampers To Convert The Energy
After the spring stores energy, the damper or shock absorber begins to work. The energy stored by the spring needs to be transferred elsewhere, and the spring will release that energy again, but there will be some slight transmission loss, and your car will continue to jump over every crack in the road.
When the spring transfers energy to the damper, the piston uses the energy of the spring to move in pressurized oil. Inside the damper is a piston with a small hole and some pressurized oil. Heat is generated by passing the oil, successfully converting the energy of the bumps in the road into heat and eliminating any remaining energy that could cause the car to jump.
Struts
It is a structural component of today’s automobiles. The combination of two struts is basically a damper wrapped in a coil spring. It works exactly like a coil spring and damper.
Car suspension maintenance tips
In order to ensure a safe driving experience, it is crucial to maintain the car’s suspension system. Let’s learn about the tips for maintaining the car’s suspension system:
Check the rubber bushings on the control arms, sway bars, sway bars, strut rods, etc. and remove any oil or debris from the rubber bushings
After every oil change, be sure to thoroughly inspect all components of your car’s suspension
If there is any oil leakage, repair it immediately
If inspection reveals signs of swelling in a suspension component, it should be repaired immediately
Check the stabilizer link pin, rubber boot, and tie rod end ball joints
If any parts of the suspension are wet, they should be replaced. Also check the shock absorbers and struts for oil leaks.
When changing oil, refill the grease nipples in your car every time
Check your car’s suspension for bounce. Do not bounce the test more than twice as this means worn struts and shock absorbers will need to be replaced.
