CHAPTER-THREE

SUSPENSION
SYSTEM
 Content

• Introduction
• The role of a vehicle suspension
• Definitions & terminology
• Suspension types
• Suspension components
 Introduction
• What is an Automotive Suspension?
– An Automotive Suspension is the system of parts that give a
vehicle the ability to maneuver.
– It is a 3 Dimensional Four Bar Linkage
• What does a suspension do?
– maximize the road holding,
– provides steering stability with good handling, and
– ensures the comfort of the passengers

Suspension = a system of springs + dampers + linkages

 The Roll of Suspension
• To provide Ride & Handling Performance-
– Ride - vehicle's ability to smooth out a bumpy road
– Handling - vehicle's ability to safely accelerate, brake and
corner. (minimize roll and pitch acceleration)
• This requires the suspension to have
– Vertical compliance providing chassis isolation
– Ensuring that the wheels
follow the road profile with very
little tire load fluctuation.
 The Roll of Suspension
• To ensure that steering control is maintained during
maneuvering - this requires
– Maintain the wheels in the proper steer and camber attitudes
to the road surface
• To support the vehicle static weight
• To provide isolation in high vibration arising from
tire excitation-
– this requires appropriate isolation in the suspension joints to
prevent the transmission of road noise to the vehicle body
 The Roll of Suspension

• React the control force produced by as a result of

– Longitudinal braking & acceleration forces
– Lateral (cornering) forces
– Braking & acceleration torques
– This requires the suspension geometry to be designed
to resist squat drive & roll of the vehicle body
 Suspension Elements
• Suspension = a system of springs + dampers + linkages

All suspensions use:

Springs

- to absorb impacts and

Dampers (or shock absorbers)
- to control spring motions.
 Suspension Elements
• Spring Types
– Leaf springs
– Helical Coil springs
– Torsional springs
– Rubber springs
– Air springs

use the compressive qualities of air to absorb

wheel vibrations.
consists of a cylindrical chamber of air
positioned between the wheel and the body.
 Suspension Elements
• Dampers
– A shock absorber is basically
an oil pump placed between
the frame of the car and the
wheels.
– It allows the dissipation of
energy stored in springs.
 Basic Suspension Terminology
• Sprung Mass (Everything supported by the springs)
– The vehicle masses that are supported by the vehicle springs
– Sprung weight moves “indirectly” with the road surface
– Body, Engine, passengers, parts of drive train, and parts of
suspension.
• Unsprung Mass (Everything between the springs and the road surface)
– Mass of components that move when suspension is displaced
– Unsprung weight moves “directly” with the road surface
– Wheels and tires, brakes, steering systems, some suspension etc.
Basic Suspension Terminology

Sprung Mass

Body, Engine, passengers, parts of drive

train, and parts of suspension

Unsprung Mass
Wheels and tires, brakes, steering
some suspension
 Basic Suspension Terminology

Travel is another important parameter and defines the upper and lower
limits of the wheel motion. If a wheel bottoms, it can cause serious control
problems and cause damage.
 Basic Suspension Terminology

• Since the sprung mass is treated as a rigid body, it has 6 DOF

comprising 3 translations & 3 rotations. Only 3 of these are
relevant for suspension studies,
– Bounce

– Roll

– Pitch
 Basic Suspension Terminology
• Bump Travel
– Vertical distance wheel is able to move up from static position,
with reference to vehicles sprung mass
• Droop Travel
– Vertical distance wheel is able to move down from static
position, with reference to vehicles sprung mass
 Basic Suspension Terminology
• Roll
– Front View angular rotation of the sprung vehicle
mass

Anti-Roll bar, (ARB) or Stabilizer bar, increases the suspension's roll stiffness.
 Basic Suspension Terminology

• Roll Center
– Center at which the sprung mass pivots about
during a roll situation (lateral acceleration)
– This is a dynamic point: moves around throughout
suspension travel
 Basic Suspension Terminology

• Pitch
– Side View angular rotation of the sprung vehicle mass
 Basic Suspension Terminology
• Pitch Center
– Center at which the sprung mass pivots about
during a Pitch situation (fore/aft acceleration)
– This is a dynamic point: moves around throughout
suspension travel
 Basic Suspension Terminology

• Wheel Orientation
– Since one of the functions of a suspension system is to
maintain the position of the wheels constant relative to the
road throughout the motion of the suspension, it is
important to identify how the wheel position is defined.
• Steering Axis
• Steering Axis Inclination
• Toe
• Camber Angle
• Caster Angle
 Basic Suspension Terminology

• Steering Axis (PSA) or King Pin Axis (KPA)

– Axis about which the wheel/Tire rotate during steering inputs

When the wheels of a vehicle are

steered they pivot about an axis
Upper Ball Joint
that is defined by an imaginary line
drawn through the wheel pivots
(ball joint or king pin).

Lower Ball Joint

 Basic Suspension Terminology
• Caster Angle
– The inclination of the steering axis, relative to a vertical line
from the road surface, as viewed from the side of the vehicle.
– Positive caster results in a caster offset in front of the contact patch
center.

Caster Trail
The linear dimension, at
the road surface, between
the PSA
and the center of the tire
contact patch, as viewed
from the side
 Basic Suspension Terminology

• Caster Angle
– Caster adds to straight line stability, steering return-ability and affects
the wheel camber as the wheels are steered
– Caster angle varies between 3 to 6o.
– For easier steering, a small caster angle is required.
– Cross Caster (unequal left and right caster) leads to steering wander
 Basic Suspension Terminology

• Camber
– The inclination of the rotational plane of the tire, relative to a
vertical line from the road surface, as viewed from the front of
the vehicle.
– Positive camber- The top of the tire rotational plane is outside of
the normal to the road surface, negative inside
 Basic Suspension Terminology

• Camber
– Camber is a tire wearing angle.
– Camber angle in modern cars is reduced to below 1o.
– However, a negative front wheel camber is used in some sports
car to improve cornering ability.

Camber moves the center of the tire

contact patch closer to the PSA
(front view) thereby reducing the road
inputs to the steering.
 Basic Suspension Terminology
• Steering Axis Inclination (SAI or KPI)
– Its function is the same as that of the camber
– Axis inclination causes the front end of the vehicle to rise as the wheel is
turned. Therefore a self-aligning torque is produced resulting in better
directional stability.
– It produces positive camber at the outside wheel during cornering, thus
increasing under steer
characteristics.

It is usually 3 to 7 degrees for

passenger cars. For trucks, it is
zero.
 Basic Suspension Terminology
• Scrub Radius
– The linear dimension between
the PSA and the center of the
tire contact patch (front view) is
called the scrub radius.
– The scrub radius can be
• positive (PSA inside),
• zero, or
• Negative (PSA outside Tire
Contact Patch
 Basic Suspension Terminology

• Toe
– Top view angle of the tire in a static situation
– Static Toe Angle [deg] - The angle measured between the
centerline of the vehicle and the rotational plane of the wheel
as viewed from the top.
– Important for both front and rear tires
 Types of Suspension
• Factors which primary affect the choice of suspension type at the front
or rear of a vehicle are
– Engine Location
– Whether the wheels are
• Driven or un driven and
• Steered or un steered

• Suspensions can be broadly classified as

– Active Suspension
– Conventional suspension
 Types of Suspension

• Semi-active suspensions
– include devices such as
• Air-springs
• Switchable shock absorbers,
• Hydro pneumatic suspensions.

• Active Suspension
– currently sell shock absorbers filled with a magneto rheological
fluid, whose viscosity can be changed electromagnetically,
thereby giving variable control without switching valves. (Bose
suspension )
 Types of Suspension

Conventional Suspension System

• Dependent Suspension
– The motion of a wheel on one side of the vehicle is
dependant on the motion of partner on the other side

• Independent Suspension
– The motion of wheel pairs is independent, so that a
disturbance at one wheel is not directly transmitted to its
partner
 Types of Suspension
• Dependent (Driving and Non-driving)
– Dead Solid Beam Axle
• Twist Beam
– Live Solid Beam Axle
• Hotchkiss with
semi-elliptic leaf spring
• Independent (Driving and Non-driving)
– Macpherson Strut
– Double Wishbone
(short-long arm – SLA)
– Multi Link
 Types of Suspension
• Dependent Suspension
– These are not common on the passenger cars
– They are still used on commercial & off-high way vehicles.
– Have the advantages of
• being relatively simple in construction &
• almost completely eliminate camber change thereby reducing
tire wear
 Types of Suspension
• Dependent Suspension

Note: Solid link between left and right wheels

 Types of Suspension

• Independent System
– This form of suspension has benefits
• in packaging &
• give grater design freedom when compared to dependent
system
– Some of the common forms of front & rear designs will be
considered.
 Types of Suspension
• Independent System

Note: left and right wheels are

decoupled
 Types of Suspension
• Front Suspension System
 Common Suspension
– MacPherson strut
– Double wishbone
Designs
– Beam – coil springs  Beam Axle
– Beam – leaf springs  Swing Axle
• Rear Suspension System  De Dion
– Twist beam – American type/ European type  Double Wishbone /Unequal
– Beam – coil springs Length A-arm

– Beam – leaf springs

– MacPherson strut
– Double wishbone
– Multi link
• Others – DeDion, Watts link, sliding pillar, transverse leaf
 Types of Suspension-Front
• Rigid (Beam) axle suspension

 Beam – leaf springs

 Used on heavy duty and light trucks
 Same as for coil springs, but added friction
in leaves further degrades comfort.
 Increased sprung weight, poor wheel
control
 Simple and durable, low cost
 Types of Suspension-Front
Rigid (Beam) Axle Suspension
 Beam – Coil Springs
 Used on Jeep Grand Cherokee,
 If coil springs are used instead of leaf springs,
trailing arms are used to locate it laterally.
 High unsprung mass = poor ride comfort.
 Durable.
 Good load carrying capability.
 Cheaper than alternatives for carrying heavy
loads because suspension and substructure
are integrated.
 No Camber related tire wear issues
 Types of Suspension-Front
• Torsion Bars
• It twists about its center when load is applied

• Bar twists, resisting movement of lower control arm

 Types of Suspension-Front
• MacPherson Strut
 One of the most popular systems
 One Control Arm
 Light weight
 Economical
 Good ride quality and handling characteristics
 Used for both front and rear suspensions
 Camber curve not as flexible as wishbone.

 Friction in strut can be troublesome.

 Types of Suspension-Front
• MacPherson Strut
• It is mechanically simple, requires very little lateral space, its unsprung
mass is small. In addition, its up-and-down motion causes very little
camber change.
• It requires considerable vertical space. Lateral loads in the strut increases
damper friction.
 Types of Suspension-Front
Advantages Disadvantages
 Low production costs  Large camber variation
 Stamped construction  Body roll and wheel movement
contribute to camber attitude
 Preassembled
 Vertically tall mounting position
 Strut body carries spring assembly
 This compromises vehicle styling
 Compact  Rough ride
 Simple mounting and no need for  Some ride comfort may be lost, as it
an upper control arm is hard to move smoothly because
 Simplicity of bending input force
 Reduction in fasteners and  Dangerous replacement
alignment of vehicle suspension  The spring must be compressed and
components. assembled on the strut body, this
causes the handling of a charged
spring.
 Types of Suspension-Front
• Short and Long Arm (SLA)
(Double Wishbone)
 Uses an upper and a lower control
arm
 Uses either torsion bars or coil
springs
 Good ride quality and handling
characteristics
 Heavy and complex design requires
a lot of space
 Also used on many passenger
vehicles and light trucks
 Types of Suspension-Front
•
• Double Wishbone

Each arm of the wishbone

is a separate item

double A-arms lower A-arm is a single solid arm

 Types of Suspension-Front
• Double Wishbone
• Parallel and equal wishbones,
– the camber change is equal to the body roll change. The wheel moves over
bumps without any camber change but
– track will change affecting linear stability by introducing lateral forces.
• Shortening the upper wishbone
– to obtain constant track and
– to reduce camber change due to body roll during cornering.
– However, this time a camber change is introduced during up-and down
motion.
 Types of Suspension-Front
• Nonparallel and unequal wishbone
– the outside wheel virtually upright irrespective of the body roll and a
– relatively constant track can be maintained.
• The camber, castor, roll center, etc…. can all be individually
adjusted on this type of suspension relatively easily
 Types of Suspension-Front
• Advantages
– Arguably the best handling suspension design
• Wheel gains negative camber in bump
• Low Unsprung Weight
– Packaging does not compromise styling
• Low Height
– Many different geometry characteristics possible
• Designer can design suspension with minimal compromises
• Infinite adjustability, with the most ease
• Vehicles roll centers can be placed almost anywhere
 Types of Suspension-Front
• Disadvantages
– More expensive
• More components to make and assemble
• Alignment and fitment are critical to vehicle performance, large area of
adjustment
• Tolerance of parts must be smaller
• Requires constant alignment checks for optimum performance
– More complex
• Design often becomes more complex because all suspension parameters are
variable
• Frame has to be able to pick up A-arm inboard points
– Tire scrub occurs with vertical wheel displacement
• However this can be minimized during design
 Types of Suspension-Front

Double Wishbone

MacPherson Strut
 Types of Suspension-Rear

Rigid (Beam) axle suspension

Solid Beam Axle with Leaf Springs also known a Hotchkiss
• “Default” rear suspension for light
trucks.
• Carries heavy load with low cost
and technology.
• As for beam – leaf front
suspensions

Mounting one rear shock in the front of the

axle and one behind the axle helps to
reduce wind up and axle tramp
 Types of Suspension-Rear
• Rigid (Beam) axle suspension

Beam – coil springs

+ Good combination of load

carrying, relative comfort and low
cost
-As for beam – coil front
suspensions
The upper control arms control lateral
movement (side movement)
The lower control arms control differential
torque (wind up)
 Types of Suspension-Rear

Rigid (Beam) axle suspension

Twist Beam
• Primarily used on American
designed minivans
• Twisting element is placed
between wheels
• Twisting element far from
kinematic torsion center.
• Inexpensive design.
• Can offer better lateral control of
axle than European style.
• Packages well to provide
maximum cargo space
 Types of Suspension-Rear
• Twist Beam Dependent Non-Driving
 Types of Suspension-Rear
• Trailing Arm
– Independent Design
– Uses individual lower control
arms
– Uses coil springs and shocks
– Good ride quality
– Compared with the rigid
beam axle, the unsprung
mass is much lower.
 Types of Suspension-Rear
• MacPherson Strut Independent Non-Drive
Also called “Chapman strut”, after Colin Chapman, founder of
Lotus Cars.
• Can be live (drive) or dead (non-drive) axle.
• In the 80s and 90s, was be considered “default IRS”
for sedans. Used by Ford Taurus, Ford Escort,
Dodge/Chrysler sedans, etc.
• Advantages as per MacPherson, front.
• Good packaging width-wise, struts are far apart
laterally.
• Vertical packaging is not good (too tall) for trunk.
• Handling performance not as good as multi-link or
wishbone types.
 Fords

MacPherson Strut

Toyota
 Types of Suspension-Rear
Double wishbone (SLA)

 Comments same as for double

wishbone – front.
 Main advantage is control of wheel
position and stiffness.

 Main disadvantage is the number of

pieces and the complex loading of
them.

 Alignment important for vehicle

handling
 Types of Suspension-Rear
Multi-Link Independent Drive Axle
 Types of Suspension-Rear
Multi-link
• Advantages:
– Gaining popularity due to simplicity of components and performance
advantages.
– Simple components, mostly two-force members.
– Good wheel position control like double wishbone.
– Compliances can be decoupled (longitudinal and lateral).
– Disadvantages:
– More components than other suspension types.
– Assembly tolerances can be greater than other suspensions due to number
of components.
 Types of Suspension-Others
• De Dion
– Semi-independent rigid (beam) axle suspension
– Jointed axles are used, on drive wheels,
– The wheels are connected with a solid member, most often a
DeDion axle.
– This differs from "dependent" mainly in unsprung weight.
 Types of Suspension-Others
• Swing Axle
– Used in small commercial vehicles.
– Wheel travel results in considerable
• camber change,
• track variation.
• Body roll is also excessive.
• Jacking effects can result in erratic
cornering performance.
 Types of Suspension-Others
Rubber Springs ….
• Rubber springs are used as bounce and rebounce stops.
• On some vehicles, it is used as the main spring.
 Suspension Systems - Active
• Hydro pneumatic springs
– the spring is produced by a constant mass of gas
(typically nitrogen) in a variable volume enclosure.

– The principle of operation of a basic diaphragm

accumulator spring

– As the wheel deflects in bump, the piston moves

upwards transmitting the motion to the fluid and
compressing the gas via the flexible diaphragm.

– The gas pressure increases as its volume decreases to

produce a hardening spring characteristic.
 Suspension Systems - Active
• Hydro pneumatic springs
• The front and rear suspension units
are interconnected.

• If front wheel is deflected,

interconnecting pipe is pressurized,
thus stiffening the rear wheel
suspension.

• This creates a very smooth ride.

 Suspension Systems - Active
• Bose Suspension
 A linear electromagnetic motor is used
with conventional shock absorbers, springs
and struts.
 Sensors at various locations to detect body
and suspension movement.
 Produces excellent ride quality and
superior control in the same system
 LEM can extend and compress at a much
greater speed, virtually eliminating all
vibrations in the passanger cabin.
 Suspension Systems - Active
• Bose Suspension
 Linear Electromagnetic Motor
 Responds quickly enough to counter the effects of bumps and road
irregularities
 Power Amplifier
 Sends power to the motor during extension and returns power during
retraction
 Control Algorithms
 Observe sensor measurements and send commands to the power
amplifiers
 Suspension Systems - Active

• Bose Suspension
– Uses sensor measurements to
instantaneously counteract road
forces
– Produces excellent ride quality
and superior control in the same
system
 Suspension Systems - Active
• Magneto-Rheological Technology
– Dampers contain magnetic particles
suspended in fluid
– Magnetic field within the fluid aligns particles
Creates resistance to movement and
increases damping
– Variable magnetic field creates more or less
resistance as needed
– System can change up to 1000 times per
second
 Suspension Systems - Active
• Benefits
Bose Suspension Magnetic Ride Control
 Superior comfort
 Improved road handling
 Superior control
 Improved wheel control
 Reduces body roll during turns
 Smoother ride than conventional
 Reduces need for camber roll shocks and struts
during turns
 Reduces noise and virbations
 Wider damping range than
 Continuous range of damping
Magneto-Rheological systems
 Suspension Systems - Active
• Disadvantages
– High initial cost
– High repair costs
– Complex systems
• Applications
Bose Suspension Magnetic Ride Control
 System will be offered on high
 Currently offered on Cadillac SRX
end luxury vehicles within the
and Seville STS models.
next coming years.
 Offered on the Chevrolet Corvette
 The same technology has been
for the 2003 model year.
applied in Military
applications.  Mercedes S600
 BMW 7 series
 Suspension Systems - Other

Watts Linkage
DeDion

Swing Arm Semi-Trailing Arm

 Suspension Components
• Knuckle

• Control arm

• Sub-frame

• Stabilizer system

• Springs, shocks and struts

• Bearings and braking components

• Bushings and ball joints

 Suspension Components

• Knuckle
– Function of the knuckle is to attach rotating
components to suspension components; distribute load
from road to body.

– Vertical, lateral, longitudinal and torque loads are

carried by the knuckle.

– Also known as “wheel carrier”, “hub carrier”, “spindle”

or “upright”.
 Suspension Components
• Knuckle

Mulit-link

MacPherson

SLA
 Suspension Components
Control Arm
• Function of the control arm is:
– to attach the knuckle to the chassis,
– react wheel loads, and
– to guide the knuckle providing for correct suspension
geometry
• eg. Camber , Caster, Toe, SAI

• The lower control arm carries a large

portion of the lateral and longitudinal
loading from the wheel.
 Suspension Components
• Control Arms – Various types
 Suspension Components
Sub-Frame
Function of sub-frame is to attach suspension, steering and
powertrain components to vehicle body.
– Sub-frame carries a large portion of lateral and longitudinal loads.

– Because it is a large flexible structure.

– Typically it is mounted to the chassis through rubber isolators. This

helps isolate road noise and vibration transmission from the
wheels to the chassis.
 Suspension Components
• Sub-Frame – Various Types
 Suspension Components
Anti-Roll Stabilizer Bar
– Function of stabilizer system is:
– to reduce the vehicle roll angle when cornering, and
– to produce the desired level of roll under-steer.
– Stabilizer drop links attach to knuckle or strut, stabilizer bar
is a torsion spring which attaches to the sub-frame. Vertical
loading is present at the stabilizer bar bushings to the sub-
frame.
Suspension Components

Anti-Roll Stabilizer Bar

 Suspension Components
• Springs, shocks and struts
– Function of spring is to support vehicle weight.
– Function of shock absorber (damper) is to absorb
energy from road and to reduce sprung mass
vibrations.
– Function of strut is to carry lateral and vertical
loading.
 Suspension Components
• Strut Rod
– Connected to frame & lower control arm

– Controls fore & aft movement of control arm

– May provide for caster adjustment

 Suspension Components
Bushings and ball joints
• Function of bushings is:
• to absorb road bumps and high frequency vibrations;
• to provide precise positioning of suspension components for
safe handling. These functions are provided while also
allowing articulation.
• Function of ball joints is:
• to allow articulation, but with very high stiffness, such as
when part of the steering mechanism or when high precision
handling is required (sports cars).
 Suspension Components

Bushing

How bushings absorb road bumps?

Ball Joint
CHAPTER THREE

END