Automobile Suspension System

Introduction to Suspension System:

• The modern automobile has come a long way since the days when “just being
self propelled” was enough to satisfy the car owner. Improvement in
suspension, increased strength & durability of components, and advances in
tyre design and construction has made large contributions to tiding comfort
and driving safety.

• Basically, suspension refers to the use of front and rear springs to suspend a
vehicles frame, body, engine and power train above the wheels. These
relatively heavy assemblies constitute what is known as Sprung
weight. Unsprung weight, on the other hand, includes wheels and tire,
break assemblies and other structural members not supported by the springs.

• The springs used in today’s cars and trucks are engineered in a wide variety of
types, shapes, sizes, rates and capacities. Types include leaf springs, coil
springs, air springs and torsion bars.
These are used in sets of four per vehicle, or they are paired off in various combinations and
are attached to the vehicle by a number of different mounting techniques.

The automobile frame and body are mounted on the front and rear axle not directly but through
the springs and shock absorbent. The assembly of parts, which perform the isolation of parts
from the road shocks, may be in the forms of bounce, pitch and roll is called suspension system.

Suspension system of an automobile separates the wheel and axle assembly of the automobile
from its body. Main function of the suspension system is to isolate the body of the vehicle from
shocks and vibrations generated due to irregularities on the surface of roads. Shock absorbers
are provided in the vehicles for this purpose. It is in the form of spring and damper. The
suspension system is provided both on front end and rear end of the vehicle.

A suspension system also maintains the stability of the vehicle in pitching or rolling when vehicle
is in motion.
 Functions of suspension system:
1. It prevents the vehicle body and frame from road shocks.

2. It gives stability of the vehicle.

3. It safeguards the passengers and goods from road shocks.

4. It gives the good road holding while driving, cornering and braking.

5. It gives cushioning effect.

6. It provides comfort.
Suspension System Functions
•Supports the weight.

•Provides a smooth ride.

•Allows rapid cornering without extreme

body roll.

•Keeps tires in firm contact with the road.

•Prevents excessive body squat.

•Prevents excessive body dive.

•Allows front wheels to turn side-to-side for steering.

•Works with the steering system to keep the wheels in correct alignment.
Requirements of suspension system:

1. There should be minimum deflection.

2. It should be of low initial cost.

3. It should be of minimum weight.

4. It should have low maintenance and low operating cost.

5. It should have minimum tyre wear.

Components of Suspension system:

• Coil springs
• Leaf springs
• Shock absorbers
• Spring shackles
• Stabilizer
FRONT SUSPENSION SYSTEM
REAR WHEEL DRIVE SUSPENSION SYSTEM
REAR SUSPENSION SYSTEM
Suspension System Components
Basic Parts

Control arm – movable lever that fastens

the steering knuckle to the vehicle’s
body or frame.

Steering Knuckle – provides a spindle or

bearing support for the wheel hub, bearings
and wheel assembly.
Suspension System Components
Basic Parts

Shock absorbers or dampeners – keeps

the suspension from continuing to bounce
after spring compression and extension.

Control arm bushing – sleeves that

allows the control arm to swing
up and down on the frame.
Suspension System Components
Basic Parts

Ball Joints – swivel joints that allow

control arm and steering knuckle to
move up and down and side to side.

Springs – supports the weight of the

vehicle; permits the control arm and
Wheel to move up and down.
Suspension System Components

Coil spring is the most common type of spring found on modern vehicles.

Leaf springs are now limited to the rear of some cars.

 Types of Springs

A. Coil spring
B. Leaf spring
C. Air spring
D. Torsion bar
Coil Springs
LEAF SPRING
Leaf Spring Assembly
Air Springs
Suspension System Components
Torsion bar (large spring rod)

•One end is attached to the frame and the other to the lower control arm.
•Up and down of the suspension system twists the torsion bar.
•It will then try to return to its original shape, moving the control arm to its
original place.
 Suspension System
Shock absorbers

•Limits spring compression-extension

movements to smooth the vehicle’s ride.

•Without shock absorbers, the vehicle

would continue to bounce up and down
long after striking dip or hump in the road.
Shock Absorber Action
 Sway Bar (Stabilizer Bar)

• Sway bar links connect the bar to the control arms

• The function of a sway bar is usually to prevent weight transfer from one side to the
other in cornering situations. By preventing weight transfer, the inside wheel in a
corner maintains more of its static weight.
• The sway bars main function is to equalize the suspension springs mainly when
cornering. Most sway bars are U-shaped and have two rubber bushings mounted in
metal brackets. Some sway bars also have rubber grommets on the end of the bars.
The rubber bushings will stay stationary as the sway bar flexes. The sway bar
bushings can wear out and periodically applying a lubricant can help to prolong their
usefulness
Suspension System Components Functions
Sway Bar (Stabilizer Bar)

•Used to keep the body from leaning excessively in sharp turns.

•Fastened to lower control arms. (rubber bushings are used)

•During cornering, centrifugal force makes the outside of body drop and inside raise.
•The bar’s resistance to twisting motion limits body lean in corners.
 Advantages of stabilliaser bar

Advantages
• It prevent the road shocks
• To provide safe guard to
occupied & passenger
• To provide stability to vehicle
during rolling pitching
bouncing yawing
What are the types of suspension
systems in a vehicle
• The chassis of vehicle is connected to the front and rear
wheels through the medium of springs, shock absorbers
and axles. All parts perform the function of protecting
parts from shocks are known as suspension system.
The automobile chassis is indirectly connected with
axles by springs. It is done to prevent the vehicle body
from road shocks due to bounce, pitch, roll or sway.
These road shocks provide an uncomfortable ride and
also additional stress to the automobile frame and
body.
 Types of Suspension System
Generally, the following two basic types of suspension system are
given below.

(i) Front end suspension

(a) Independent front suspension
(b) Rigid axle front suspension

(ii) Rear end suspension

(a) Longitudinal leaf spring rear suspension
(b) Transverse leaf spring rear suspension
(c) Coil spring rear end suspension.
Independent Front Suspension

• The independent front suspension was developed in the

1930’s to improve vehicle ride control and riding comfort. In
this type of suspension, each front wheel is mounted on its
own axle and independently supported by a coil or torsion
bar or leaf spring. This allows the wheels to respond
individually to road conditions. Now-a-days, all vehicles use
this suspension system. Coil springs are commonly used in
this suspension system. This suspension system completely
prevents the wheel wobble. A greater wheel movement is
utilized without affecting the steering system. The steering
conditions and qualities are improved by a wider spacing of
the front springs.
Types of independent front
suspensions:
1. Longitudinal suspension
2. Transverse suspension
3. Sliding suspension
4. Mac Pherson Strut and link type suspension
5. Parallelogram type suspension or Wishbone type
6. Trailing link type suspension
7. Vertical guide suspension.
 Suspension System

Non-independent suspension has both right and left wheel attached to the
same solid axle. When one wheel hits a bump in the road, its upward movement
causes a slight tilt of the other wheel.

Independent suspension allows one wheel to move up and down with minimal
effect to the other.
 Suspensions

Independent

Nonindependent
 Types of
independent
Suspension
System

MacPherson Strut Wish bone Type

1 Wishbone Suspension
The suspension must be
designed in such a way as
to keep the wheel upright for Upper wishbone
maximum tyre contact
(vehicle control) and to
minimize tyre wear.
The upper wishbone is
short and the lower
wishbone is longer.
Both wishbones pivot points
and lengths are calculated to
provide the best operating
angle for a given suspension
movement.
Lower wishbone
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 Advantages & Disadvantages of
Wishbone type independent suspension
Advantages Disadvantages

• Ride quality is good. • Initial cost is more

• Improve the steering • Maintenance cost is more.
preciseness since the • Required frequent wheel
wheel movement are alignment otherwise
not link increase tyre wear.
• Ground clearance
increase

Applications:-SUV,CARS
2 MacPherson Strut
This is a very popular and efficient form of
suspension. It has one control arm and a strut
assembly. A coil spring and shock absorber Strut
will normally form parts of the strut assembly. assembly

Coil springs may be mounted on

Frame
the control arm instead of being
around the strut. On this type,
the shock absorber connects
Shock
the knuckle to the frame.
absorber

This type of suspension strut is Knuckle

often also used on rear
suspension systems. Control
arm
Coil spring 62 of 12
Front Suspension
(MacPherson Strut)
MacPherson Strut Suspension
The top of the strut is bolted to
a reinforced section of the Steering knuckle
frame structure.

The lower end of the strut is

attached to a steering knuckle. Strut

The control arm is also attached

to the steering knuckle. Frame

The control arms are mounted on Control

a cradle section of the frame. arm

An anti-roll bar links the two Cradle

control arms together to reduce
sway (body roll). Anti-roll bar
 Advantages & Disadvantages of
Macpherson strut suspension
Advantages Disadvantages
• Light in weight. • Not suitable for Heavy motor
• Camber does not change vehicle.
due to up & movement of • Load caring capacity is less.
wheels
• Maximum Engine
compartment available.
• Maintenance cost is less.
• Initial cost is less.
• Ride comfort is more.
• Improve road safety.

Applications:-CARS
Solid Rear Axle Suspension
This type of rear suspension
Shock absorber
is typical for a rear-wheel
drive vehicle.
Coil
The axle is inside a springs
solid housing.

The shock
absorbers are Axle housing
Stabilizer bar
mounted between the
solid axle and the frame.

The springs are arranged between the

axle housing and the frame of the vehicle. Trailing arm

Trailing arms, or links, hold the rear axle in position.

A stabilizer bar and track bar are included to add vehicle stability.
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Independent Suspension System Parts
Basic Parts

Ball Joints – swivel joints that allow

control arm and steering knuckle to
move up and down and side to side.

Springs – supports the weight of the

vehicle; permits the control arm and
Wheel to move up and down.
Shock absorbers or dampeners – keeps
the suspension from continuing to bounce
after spring compression and extension.

Control arm bushing – sleeves that

allows the control arm to swing
up and down on the frame.
Coil Springs
Leaf Spring Assembly
Air Springs
Layout of Air Suspension System
 Schematic view of Air
Suspension System

Location of Air bellows

Location of Air bellows in Heavy

Motor Vehicles
 Advantages & Disadvantages of Air
suspension
Advantages
• Variable space for wheel Disadvantages
deflection is put for optimum
use for automatic height • Higher initial cost
control • Occupies more space.
• Maintenance cost is more
• Head light alignment does
• Due lack of friction damping is
not vary due to different
necessary due road shock
loading condition.
• It improve the ride comfort.
• Reduce noise in suspension
system.

Applications:- Volvo Buses

 Torsion Bar

The bar resists twisting action and acts

like a conventional spring
Torsion bar (large spring rod)

•One end is attached to the frame and the other to the lower control arm.
•Up and down of the suspension system twists the torsion bar.
•It will then try to return to its original shape, moving the control arm to its
original place.
 Advantages & Disadvantages of Torsion
bar suspension
Advantages Disadvantages
• Light in weight. • It does not take accelerate &
Braking thrust so required
• Less space additional linkages
• Due lack of friction damping is
occupies . necessary due road shock
• Its maintenance cost •
is less.
• Initial cost is less.
• Ride comfort is
more.
Applications:-SUV Tata Safari, Tempo
Trax
 Suspension System
Strut assembly (MacPherson struts)

•Consists of a shock absorber, a coil spring, and an upper damper unit.

•Strut assembly often replaces the upper control arm.

Rigid Axle Front Suspension
• Rigid axle front suspension is also called as dependent
front suspension. This type of suspension uses a solid
axle. This type of suspension has been universally used
before drawing the independent front wheel suspension.
This design consists of one steel or aluminium beam
extending the width of the vehicle. This beam is held in
place by leaf springs. This design also uses kingpins
and bushings to attach the wheels outboard of the axle.
Because of its load carrying ability, the solid axle is only
used on heavy trucks, and off-road vehicles. It is not
suitable for use on modern passenger cars for three
important reasons.
 Suspension System
Checking Shock Absorber Condition
Bounce test
•Push down on one corner of vehicle’s body.
•Release the body and count the number of
times the vehicle rebounds.
•Good – no more then two rebounds.

Leaking Shocks
•Check for signs of leakage.
•If oily and wet, replace it.
 Suspension System
Replacing Coil Springs

Need to compress the coil spring, before removing it.

Warning – A compressed coil spring has a tremendous amount of stored energy.

 Suspension System
Checking Ball Joints

•If spring on lower control are, jack stand goes

under the control arm.

•If spring on upper control arm, jack stand goes

under frame.

If any play found, replace it.

 Suspension System
Tie Rod Inspection

Move the wheel side-to-side, should be no play.

 Suspension System
Always grease all the grease points.