Suspension

What is Suspension?

Suspension is the system of tires, tire air, springs, shock absorbers and linkages that connects a vehicle to its wheels and allows relative motion between the two.Suspension systems must support both roadholding/handling and ride quality,which are at odds with each other. The tuning of suspensions involves finding the right compromise. It is important for the suspension to keep the road wheel in contact with the road surface as much as possible, because all the road or ground forces acting on the vehicle do so through the contact patches of the tires. The suspension also protects the vehicle itself and any cargo or luggage from damage and wear. The design of front and rear suspension of a car may be different.

Types of Front Suspension

Dependent Suspension System

A dependent suspension system has a solid axle that goes  across the width of the frame. It allows the wheels on both the left and the right side to be connected and operate together as a team. If one side of the car bends to a given direction the other side will follow along because of the dependency. It is on rough terrain that dependent suspension system really earns its worth. They can handle tough conditions and are the primary suspension systems for rear wheel drive automobiles, and SUVs. It is the suspension system of choice for any vehicle that is going to be working on harsh topography

 

Independent Suspension System

The independent suspension system does not have that single connecting axle. Each wheel of an independent suspension system has a different reaction to road conditions, meaning that a bump on one side is not to cause a reaction on the other. The attraction of the independent suspension system is the driving quality it affords. It is a much more comfortable way of getting around.