Auto - Suspension - 23

Automotive Engineering
4- Lecture per week

1 group Lab (2 hrs per week)
K Vivek Chawla
•Introduction to Automobile Engineering : Description
and Performance of an Automobile
•Power Plant: Classification and Application,
Requirements of Power Plant for an Automobile,
Criterion for selection of power plant
•Principle of Engine Operation, S.I. Engine (4-s and 2-
s) & C.I Engine
•Modification in engines for use of CNG and LPG as
fuels
K Vivek Chawla
•Engine parts and their functions: Cylinder, piston,
piston rings, Connecting rod, Crankshaft, Valve
Mechanisms, Air Cleaner, Oil filters, Manifolds,
muffler, radiator, Carburettor and Fuel Injection
systems (Numerical)
•Resistance to Vehicle motion: Load, air and grade
resistances
•Matching of Engine output and Demand power
(Numerical)
K Vivek Chawla
• Performance requirements for various vehicles
• Performance characteristics of I.C. Engine
(Numerical)
• Drive effectiveness relationship for 2 wheel and 4
wheel drive vehicles
• Introduction to Suspension System, Functions,
requirements and elements of suspension system,
Suspension systems for front wheel: wishbone,
trailing link, Sliding pillar, Suspension systems for
rear wheel: Leaf spring, Independent,Interconnected
1st Term Exam K Vivek Chawla
•Purpose of requirement of Transmission systems
•General arrangement of clutch, gear box and rear
axle transmission
•General arrangement of rear engine and vehicle with
live axles.
• General arrangement of dead axle and axle-less
transmission
•De-Dion drive, arrangement of front engine and front
wheel drive, 4 wheel drive Transmission
•Clutch: Requirements and principle of operation,
Friction materials (Numericals)
K Vivek Chawla
• Classification: Single and multi-plate clutches,
Centrifugal Clutch
•Automatic transmission systems: Fluid couplings
•Description of working of Sliding mesh and constant
mesh gear boxes, synchro-mesh
•Hydraulic torque converter, Construction, working
and performance
•Semi Automatic transmission: Wilson Gear box
•Final drive and differentials, Rear Axles, Overdrive
K Vivek Chawla
• Steering System: Functions, requirements and geometry.
Steering gears, steering ratio, Camber, King-pin inclination,
Caster, Toe-in, Toe-out;
Steering Mechanisms: Davis and Ackerman Steering, Power
steering.
Second Term Exam
•Mechanical and Hydraulic brakes, Shoe arrangements and
analysis, Disc brake analysis, Shoe & Disc brake, Braking
effectiveness, relationship for 4 wheel drive,
•Wheel and tyre requirements, size, general definitions, wheel,
rim.
•Tyre constituents and construction.
Course Finish
K Vivek Chawla
Suspension System 
Introduction to Suspension System,
Functions, requirements and elements of
suspension system,
Suspension systems for front wheel:
wishbone, trailing link, Sliding pillar,
Suspension systems for rear wheel:

Leaf spring,
Independent,
Interconnected K Vivek Chawla
An automotive suspension system consists of
mainly three arrangements .
1. Springs,
2. Shock absorbers,
3. Stabilizer Bar
development of suspension systems, moves
around the advancements in the springs and
shock absorbers regarding their
•materials,
•design geometry,
•and location on the vehicles.
K Vivek Chawla
Objectives of Suspension System :
1. provides comfortable riding by minimizing

road shocks.
2. reduces the stresses and strains on various
components.
3. enhances the life of vehicle's components.
4. maintains stability in the moving vehicle by
absorbing road shocks.
5. damps down the amplitude of vibratory
oscillations caused due to road undulations.
K Vivek Chawla
Function of Suspension System :
• Suspension springs mounted between the

vehicle's body and the road wheels serve to
store the strain energy by deflecting them selves
when the wheels come across any bump on the
road.
• As the wheels passes off the bump, the springs

rebound back owing to their inherent elastic
action.
K Vivek Chawla
•Due to rebounding of mounted springs the strain
energy is released, and the springs start
vibrating.
•The amplitude of such vibrations decrease

gradually due to internal friction in the springs
material and in various joints.
•Finally, the vibrations may damp down to zero

after prolonged duration.
K Vivek Chawla
• Springs will continue vibrations for much longer

duration, if the wheels pass-on a longer stretch
of road full of many undulations, or meet some
extreme bumps.
• Continuous springing will cause uncomfortable

riding.
K Vivek Chawla
• Suspension system needs to be incorporated for

sufficient and quick damping of the springs
vibrations.
•Such a system should be stiff and more rigid.
•This is provided by a device called damper, i.e.

shock absorber.
K Vivek Chawla
Suspension System TERMINOLOGIES:
Pitching, Rolling and Bouncing.
•When a moving vehicle comes across a road pit or
a bump, it experiences a jolt.
• Due to Jolt vehicle starts vibrating and exhibits

tendencies of undesired motions.
K Vivek Chawla
Pitching, Rolling and Bouncing.
• Due to jolt, When the tendency of motion is along
the length, it is called pitching.
•If these tendencies are width wise and along the
height of the vehicle, they are termed as rolling and
bouncing respectively.
K Vivek Chawla
Suspension System Spring camber.
•The initial curvature provided in a leaf spring is
called camber of the spring,
• The leaf of the spring possesses some radius of
curvature due to the camber.
• Provision of camber is essentially required in them
so that the curved springs may change to a
flattened shape on loading.
K Vivek Chawla
Yawing
•A phenomenon in which the highly cambered leaf
springs exhibit movement about the vertical axis
is known as yawing,
•Tendency of yawing is less in flat springs than in
cambered springs.
K Vivek Chawla
Suspension System Dipping 
• Tendency of a vehicle to dive in its front on application
of brake is called dipping.
•This is due to the effect of weight transfer during which

extra weight is added on the front wheels.
•Consequently the front wheel suspension is overloaded.
•This is not desired condition.
Dipping Condition of Vehicle 
K Vivek Chawla
Suspension System  Sprung weight 
• The weights of the vehicle frame, body, engine,
transmission and any other load on these
components are supported over the suspension
system, therefore such weights are called as
sprung weight.
• A vehicle should have greater sprung weight for a

better suspension.
• Generally its share is about 65-80% of the whole

vehicle weight.
K Vivek Chawla
Suspension System  Unsprung weight 
•Some parts of an auto vehicle, which are fitted
between suspension system and the road surface,
are not supported by the suspension system.
• Weights of these parts are known as unsprung

weight.
•Examples of such weights are the rear axle assembly

wheels, tyres, brakes etc.
•The fraction of unsprung weight should be minimum

possible for comfortable ride. K Vivek Chawla
Suspension System  Soft suspension 
•A suspension is said to be 'soft' when the road
wheels bounce too much even for smaller
road shocks.
•A soft suspension is desired on vehicles since it

provides greater comfort to the passengers.
• too soft suspension is undesired as it results in

poorer contact between the wheels and the road.
• It also results in reduced driving and braking

efforts.
K Vivek Chawla
Suspension System  Hard suspension. 
•It is just opposite to the soft suspension in the
sense that the road wheels do not experience
sufficient bounce even for larger road shocks.
•Therefore, results in reduced comfort to the

passengers of the vehicle.
•Driving and braking efforts are satisfactory in this

case, but still it is undesired.
•Good suspension system should be such that it

is neither too soft nor too hard.
K Vivek Chawla
Suspension System  Spring Stiffness 
•The spring is specified by a parameter called 'spring
stiffness (rate or constant).
•The spring stiffness ‘s’ is defined as the load ‘P

required to deflect it by unit length.
•It is expressed in N/mm or kgf/cm . Stiffness,
• Where is deflection of the spring which can be

either compression or an extension depending upon
the type of spring and its behaviour.
K Vivek Chawla
Suspension System  Spring Stiffness 
A spring of about 15 N/mm stiffness is most suitable
for soft - springing
K Vivek Chawla
Classification of springs
Various types of suspension springs may be known
as follows.
I On the Basis of Shape and Construction

1. Coiled (helical) spring 2. Leaf spring 3. Torsion bar
II On the Basis of Spring Material

1. Steel spring 2. Rubber spring
3. Plastic spring 4. Composite materials spring
III On the Basis of Fluid Used

1. Hydraulic spring 2. Air spring
K Vivek Chawla
Classification of springs
IV On the Basis of Specialized Considerations
1. Taper spring
2. Helper or progressive spring
3. Spiral spring
V On the Basis of Load-Deflection Behaviour
1. Soft and hard springs

2. High and low frequency springs
3. Constant rate and variable rate springs.
K Vivek Chawla
K Vivek Chawla
K Vivek Chawla
K Vivek Chawla
K Vivek Chawla
K Vivek Chawla
Suspension systems for front wheel:
• Wishbone,
•Trailing link,
•Sliding pillar,
K Vivek Chawla
•The independent suspension system may
employ either a helically coiled spring or a
torsion bar.
•The suspension may be provided on front
wheels, rear wheels or on all the wheels of a
vehicle.
•When provided only on the front, the suspension
is referred, as Independent Front Suspension
(IFS).
• If provided on the rear only it is referred as
Independent Rear Suspension (IRS).
K Vivek Chawla
•In rigid axle suspension - On encountering a road
bump the whole vehicle tilts on the one side.
•In independent suspension system - Each front

wheel is hinged separately, and both the wheels are
free to move up and down independently.
•The vertical movement of one wheel caused due to

a pit or bump does not affect the other, therefore the
vehicles does not tilt and remains the vertical.
K Vivek Chawla
K Vivek Chawla
Independent suspension is almost universally
adopted on front wheels of the modern cars.
K Vivek Chawla
The independent front suspension is almost

universally adopted on front axle (wheels) of all the
vehicles
It is due to its simple construction and the advantages
K Vivek Chawla
Wishbone Type Front Suspension
K Vivek Chawla
Wishbone Type Front Suspension : A wishbone type IFS
The left half of this figure is shown in its real form of
construction while the right half is depicted in linkage form
K Vivek Chawla
(i) Smaller upper wishbone and longer lower wishbone.
(ii) Connecting arm to connect upper and lower
wishbones with the king-pin.
(iii) Coiled spring enclosing a shock absorber.
(iv) Frame cross-member on which are pivoted the
upper and lower wishbones
K Vivek Chawla
The spring and the shock absorber are supported
between the lower wishbone and underside of the cross
frame
The shape of both the wishbone arms is of V-type which
resembles the shape of chicken's wishbone.
That is why the construction is named as 'wishbone type'.
K Vivek Chawla
• During motion when the wheel encounters a bump, the
weight of the vehicle is transferred to the coil spring
through the connecting arm, upper wishbone and the
cross-arm.
•This is then transmitted to lower wishbone which pushes-
up the shock absorber.
•Consequently, it damps-down the vibration.
K Vivek Chawla
• Wishbone arms are shaped in a specialized V-profile.
It is done so as to keep the wheels in correct
positions, to resist forces produced due to acceleration,
braking and cornering.
K Vivek Chawla
Unequal lower and upper arms, The upper arm is made
shorter in length than the lower arm. It is done so as.
• to maintain a non-varying wheel track(width between

two wheels),
• to minimize tyre scrubbing and its wear.
K Vivek Chawla
Suspension System  MacPherson Strut Type Front Suspension
•Up and down movement of wheels resulting into a
change in the wheel camber is a big drawback of
wishbone type suspension.
•Double wishbone-arms for rear wheel make this
system a heavier one.
•To eliminate above short comings Macpherson strut
type suspension was developed
K Vivek Chawla
•It consists of a lower wishbone only whereas the upper
wishbone has been replaced by a strut (a member under
compression).
•On one end the lower wishbone is hinged to the cross-
member of vehicle's frame while the other end is
fastened to a channel shaped connector.
K Vivek Chawla
K Vivek Chawla
•This connector is centrally attached to the stub
axle and also to the strut on its upper side.
•The strut ends are so shaped that they hold on the

shock absorber and the coiled spring enclosing it.
K Vivek Chawla
Advantages
• Space occupied by this arrangement is less.
• Allows more space for the engine
•Road safety and riding comforts are also increased as

acceleration, braking and cornering forces are
minimized due to better wheel alignment
(non-changing camber).
•The un-sprung weights are also reduced due to a lighter

construction.
K Vivek Chawla
Suspension System  Trailing link system :
• These systems use parallelogram linkages lying beside
the frame side members.
• Usually a horizontal coil spring is used in this type of
suspension. During compression and rebound, the spring
winds and unwinds like the balance spring in an ordinary
watch.
K Vivek Chawla
K Vivek Chawla
• some times the torsion bar is fitted in lieu of horizontal
coil spring. (050_T)
K Vivek Chawla
Suspension System:Sliding pillar type independent suspension
:•This type of suspension was the first independent front
end suspension ever used.
• In this system, the pillar or elongated king pin is
attached to the wheel and slides up and down in the axle
type beam affixed rigidly to the vehicle frame.
K Vivek Chawla
Suspension System:
Simplified diagrams of the independent front suspension
Parallelogram independent front suspensions.
K Vivek Chawla
Suspension System:
•In general, the lower link is larger than the upper and
they may not be parallel.
•This arrangement maintains the track width as the
wheels rise and fall and so minimize tyre wear caused
by the wheel scrubbing sideways.
Parallelogram independent front suspensions.

K Vivek Chawla
Suspension System:
•Trailing arm independent front suspension maintains
constant track and wheel altitude with a slight change in
wheel base and caster angle.
• A coil spring is attached to the trailing arm which itself
is attached to the shaft carrying the wheel hub.
•When the wheel moves up and down, it winds and
unwinds the spring.
•In some designs, a torsion bar has been used in place
of the coil spring.
K Vivek Chawla
Suspension System:
In sliding type suspension system
•The stub axle can move up and down as well as rotate
in the frame members.
•Track, wheel altitude and wheel base remains

unchanged throughout the rise and fall of the wheel.
K Vivek Chawla
Suspension System:
Stabilizer (or antiroll device) :
.•A stabilizer or a sway bar is simply a bar of alloy steel
with arms at each end connected to the lower
wishbone of the independent suspension or axle.
• It is supported in bush bearings fixed to the frame,
and is parallel to the cross member.
K Vivek Chawla
Suspension System:
.•It is necessarily used in all independent front end
suspension.
•It reduces the tendency of the vehicle to roll or tip on
either side when taking a turn.
• This tendency found to increase due to the use of
softer springs and independent front end suspension.
K Vivek Chawla
Suspension System:
•. When both wheels deflect up or down by the same
amount, the stabilizer bar simply turns in the bearings.
• When one wheel deflects, then only one end of the
stabilizer moves, thus twisting the stabilizer bar which
acts as a spring between the two sides of the
independent suspension.
K Vivek Chawla
Suspension System:
.•In this way, the stabilizer reduces heeling or tipping of
the vehicle on curves.
K Vivek Chawla
Suspension System:
K Vivek Chawla
Suspension System:
Torsion Bar :
•The torsion bar is a rod of either solid circular or a
hollow tube section that experiences a torque in its
action.
•The springing effect is
obtained by holding one
end of the rod and
twisting the other.
K Vivek Chawla
Suspension System:
Torsion Bar :
•It vibrates and acts as a torsion spring when the road
wheel is jolted by a road bump.
•Shear stresses develop in it under the influence of
torque in the bar.
•A torsion bar is often
employed with an
independent suspension
system.
K Vivek Chawla
Suspension System:
Torsion Bar :
•One of its ends is fixed with the frame while the other
end is supported in a bearing.
•A wheel arm is connected
to it near the bearing end.
• The other end of wheel
arm is connected to the
wheel hub.
K Vivek Chawla
Suspension System:
Suspension systems for rear wheel:
•Leaf spring,
•Independent,
•Interconnected
K Vivek Chawla
Suspension System:
K Vivek Chawla
Suspension System:
•The type of rear suspension system used, depends

upon the type of drive used (rear wheel drive or front
wheel drive).
• The rear wheels drive always uses, Live axle

suspension and front wheel drive adopts independent
suspension.
K Vivek Chawla
Suspension System:
Rear Wheel Drive with Leaf Spring Suspension
•The rear wheel drive is suspended (the differential
and axle) as one unit.
•This needs leaf spring which are mounted parallel to

frame.
K Vivek Chawla
Suspension System:
•Semi-elliptical laminated leaf spring is used.
•It comprises a number of flat strips usually made
from Chrome-vanadium steel clamped to the axle at
the centre with
a pivot at
each end.
K Vivek Chawla
Suspension System:
•A pin is used to locate the springs relative to one
another and to the axle and there may be number
of clips used to hold the laminations together.
•The ends of the longest lamination are coiled

to form a housing for
the pivots and these
are used to form a
metallic bush.
K Vivek Chawla
Suspension System:
•Semi-elliptic form of leaf spring is most common and
very commonly used in independent wheel
suspension system.
•for heavy duty trucks when axle loading exceeds 10

tons ,Auxiliary springs are also used
K Vivek Chawla
Suspension System:
Rear Wheel Suspension with Coil Suspension
•This is commonly used both on front wheel as well as
rear wheel drive cars.
•The system consists of two coil springs with two shock

absorbers and a track bar
Coil Spring Rear

Suspension 
K Vivek Chawla
Suspension System:
Independent Rear Suspension
•Rear axle housing is mounted on the frame
•The reduction (50%) of the unsprung weight is an added

advantage over all other advantages of independent front
suspension system.
•To allow for the motion between the frame and the
wheels, universal joints are provided between the wheels
and the drive gears.
•Hence vertical motion of each rear wheel is independent

of the other.
K Vivek Chawla
Suspension System:
Independent Rear Suspension
K Vivek Chawla
Suspension System:
Independent Rear SuspensionParallel Link System
•The wheels are connected to the backbone type frame
with the help of two wishbone shaped links which are
mounted transversally.
•Longitudinally mounted torsion bars connected with the
lower wishbone provide springing action.
•The drive is transmitted with the help of wide angle
universal joints.
K Vivek Chawla
Suspension System:
Independent Rear SuspensionParallel Link System
K Vivek Chawla
Suspension System:
Swinging Arm
•It is another method of wheel mounting.
•The arrangement is shown in Fig. The trailing arm

system provides a method of mounting the wheels. In
this system, a spring mounted at the pivot is used.
K Vivek Chawla
Suspension System:
Swinging Arm
K Vivek Chawla
Suspension System:
Transverse Spring System
•The arrangement of the system is shown in Fig.(c).
•It consists of a transverse leaf spring which provides the

springing action.
K Vivek Chawla
Suspension System:
Transverse Spring System
K Vivek Chawla
Suspension System:
Swinging Half Axle
•This is commonly used in most of the imported vehicles.
as shown in Fig. (d),
•it consists of the axle tubes joined to the final drive
housing.
•At the centre of each axle joint, universal joints are fitted
which allow for the change in drive axle.
K Vivek Chawla
Suspension System:
Swinging Half Axle
K Vivek Chawla

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Automotive Engineering

4- Lecture per week

Suspension systems for rear wheel:

1. provides comfortable riding by minimizing

• Suspension springs mounted between the

• As the wheels passes off the bump, the springs

•The amplitude of such vibrations decrease

•Finally, the vibrations may damp down to zero

• Springs will continue vibrations for much longer

• Continuous springing will cause uncomfortable

• Suspension system needs to be incorporated for

•Such a system should be stiff and more rigid.

•This is provided by a device called damper, i.e.

• Due to Jolt vehicle starts vibrating and exhibits

•This is due to the effect of weight transfer during which

•Consequently the front wheel suspension is overloaded.

•This is not desired condition.

Dipping Condition of Vehicle 

• A vehicle should have greater sprung weight for a

• Generally its share is about 65-80% of the whole

• Weights of these parts are known as unsprung

•Examples of such weights are the rear axle assembly

•The fraction of unsprung weight should be minimum

•A soft suspension is desired on vehicles since it

• too soft suspension is undesired as it results in

• It also results in reduced driving and braking

•Therefore, results in reduced comfort to the

•Driving and braking efforts are satisfactory in this

•Good suspension system should be such that it

•The spring stiffness ‘s’ is defined as the load ‘P

•It is expressed in N/mm or kgf/cm . Stiffness,

• Where is deflection of the spring which can be

I On the Basis of Shape and Construction

II On the Basis of Spring Material

III On the Basis of Fluid Used

V On the Basis of Load-Deflection Behaviour

1. Soft and hard springs

•In independent suspension system - Each front

•The vertical movement of one wheel caused due to

The independent front suspension is almost

It is due to its simple construction and the advantages

That is why the construction is named as 'wishbone type'.

• to maintain a non-varying wheel track(width between

•The strut ends are so shaped that they hold on the

• Allows more space for the engine

•Road safety and riding comforts are also increased as

•The un-sprung weights are also reduced due to a lighter

Parallelogram independent front suspensions.

Parallelogram independent front suspensions.

•Track, wheel altitude and wheel base remains

•The type of rear suspension system used, depends

• The rear wheels drive always uses, Live axle

•This needs leaf spring which are mounted parallel to

•The ends of the longest lamination are coiled

•for heavy duty trucks when axle loading exceeds 10

•The system consists of two coil springs with two shock

Coil Spring Rear