Suspension Systems

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Hundreds of thousands of people own a car, or some sort of motor vehicle, all around the world. Whether it is a car, truck, or even motorcycle, every one of them has a suspension system, but the type of suspension system all depends on the type of the vehicle. Besides the normal every day cars, there are many other vehicle types that people like to buy to play around with, such as dirt bikes and go karts. To make the best ride, an independent suspension system is the best choice. There are many different types of independent suspension systems, but the double wishbone, or A-arm system, and the Macpherson strut are the two most popular. Using a double wishbone suspension system is a better choice rather than using the MacPherson strut suspension system.

There are many different types of suspension systems that are used in cars today, and some that were discontinued due to their uselessness. One example of an older suspension system is called the swing axle suspension. This is a very old type, used in many sports cars in the 50’s, but had disappeared for about 2 decades. This was due to the weakness of the system. The handling was awful, as the camber angle can be noticeably changed by a simple bouncing motion, and the change of the static weight and body roll as the car took a corner. The only advantage to this type of system was that it could provide independent shock absorption. (Wan)

Another example of a suspension system is called the double wishbone suspension, or the A-arm system. This system is said to be the most ideal suspension to many suspension designers. It can be used both in the front and in the rear of the car, is an independent suspension, and is most desirable because of its n...

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... spring, you are causing a twisting motion all the way down the coil. (Longhurst)

Shock absorbers, otherwise known as dampeners, reduce the vertical movement of the car as it drives down a rough surface. Without this piece of the suspension system, your car would rock and sway back and forth viciously. “It would be a traveling deathtrap. Or at least it would be a traveling deathtrap until the incessant vibration caused it to fall apart,” says Longhurst. Shock absorbers have two main functions. They both absorb any over-average bumps in the road, as I mentioned above, and secondly they keep your wheels on the ground as you drive. (Longhurst)

Works Cited

http://school.eb.com/eb/article-259053

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/car-suspension4.htm

http://www.autozine.org/technical_school/suspension/tech_suspension2.htm

http://www.carbibles.com/suspension_bible.html

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