Republic of the Philippines

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
SCHOLA DE SAN JOSE
Cannery Road, Polomolok, South Cotabato, 9504, Philippines
Tel & Fax #: (083) 877-6653

Content:

Suspension System
The automobile vehicles frame and body are mounted on the front and rear axle not directly
but through some form of springs and shock absorbers. This is done to damp to road shocks
transmitted parts which perform this function are collectively called a suspension system.

Basic Parts of Suspension System Their function and Purpose

1.Control arm – movable lever that fastens the steering
knuckle to the vehicle’s body or frame.

2.Steering Knuckle – A steering knuckle is hard to classify either as

part of the suspension or as part of the wheel.
A knuckle serves two purposes:
To join the suspension to the wheel
To provide pivot points between the suspension
and wheel

3.Ball Joints – swivel joints that allow control arm and

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

4.Leaf Springs Leaf springs are constructed of one or more

strips of long, narrow spring steel. These metal
strips, called leaves, are assembled with plastic
or synthetic rubber insulators between the
leaves, allowing freedom of movement during
spring operation.
.
5. Coil Spring
6.Shock absorbers or dampeners
7.Control arm bushing
8.Torsion
Bar
9.Stabilizer bar bushings.
Coil springs are usually installed in a spring
pocket or spring seat. Hard rubber or plastic
cushions or insulators are usually mounted
between the coil spring and the spring seat.
– keeps the suspension from continuing to
bounce after spring compression and extension.
– sleeves that allows the control arm to swing
up and down on the frame.
A torsion bar is a spring which is a long, round,
hardened steel bar similar to a coil spring
except for a straight bar.
Most cars and trucks are equipped with a
stabilizer bar on the front suspension, which is a
round, hardened steel bar (usually SAE 4560 or
4340 steel) attached to both lower control arms
with bolts and rubber bushing washers called
stabilizer bar bushings.