Chapter Three

 Suspension system
Suspension system
At the conclusion of this chapter you should be able to:
 Define suspension system and its location on motor vehicle

 Describe the functions and operational principles of modern suspension systems.

 Identify the types of front and rear suspensions.
 Identify the components and their functions of the front and rear suspension systems.

 Explain how changes in wheels and tires affect the suspension

Chapter out line
• Introduction to suspension system
• History
• Functions of suspension system
• Requirements of suspension system
• Elements of suspension system
• Springs
• Dampers(or shock absorbers)
History of suspension system
• Suspension systems have evolved significantly since the earliest adaptations from
horse-drawn buggies to self powered automobiles, but the basic requirements remain
the same. Just as in the horse and buggy days, today’s suspension systems must
provide for safe handling and maximum traction while being able to sustain
passenger comfort.
• Location

• The suspension system is located between the wheel axles and the vehicle body or
frame.
 Main purpose/Function of suspension system

To prevent the road shocks from being transmitted to the vehicle
components and occupants.
 Support the weight of the vehicle.
 Maintain traction between the tires and the road
 Hold the wheels in alignment
Control the vehicle’s direction of travel
Hence: a vehicle with a solid suspension or no suspension would bounce off the ground when
the tires hit a bump if the tires are off the ground even for a fraction of a second loss of control
is possible.
Elements of suspension system
• Spring
• It absorbs road shocks or impacts due to bump in road by oscillating.
Tyres also provides spring effect , but to a smaller extent.
• Damper
• They reduce the tendency of the carriage unit to continue to
“bounce” up and down on its springs . Oscillation due to road shocks
are restricted to a reasonable level by damp
• Types of springs
 Leaf spring

Coil spring
Torsion bars
Air and gas spring
 Rubber spring
 Basic Suspension Terminology

• Sprung Mass (Everything supported by the springs)

– The vehicle masses that are supported by the vehicle springs

– Sprung weight moves “indirectly” with the road surface

– Body, Engine, passengers, parts of drive train, and parts of suspension.

• Unsprung Mass (Everything between the springs and the road surface)
– Mass of components that move when suspension is displaced

– Unsprung weight moves “directly” with the road surface

– Wheels, tires, brakes, some suspension etc.
The effect of sprung and unsprung weight on the riding comfort

• If the unsprung weight is large, it is easy for the body to be jolted. Hence, Unsprung
weight should be kept as low as possible. This is because the roughness of the ride
increases asunsprung weight increases.
 Main components of the suspension system

Springs: It absorbs road shocks or impacts due to bump in road by oscillating. Tyres also
provides spring effect , but to a smaller extent.
• neutralizes the shocks from the road surface.

Dampers: keeps the suspension from continuing to bounce after spring compression and
extension. Limits free oscillation of the springs.
Stabilizer: (sway bar, anti-roll bar): limits body roll of the vehicle during cornering
Linkages: hold the above components in place and to control the longitudinal and lateral
movements of the wheels
Elements of suspension system
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Requirements of a suspension system
 Low initial cost.

 ride quality
 direction control,
 ease of handling,

 stability, and service life Minimum weight.

 Minimum tyre wear.
 Minimum deflection consistent with required stability.
Oscillations of sprung weight
Oscillations of sprung weight
• Pitching: The up and down oscillation in relation to the center of gravity of the front
and back of the car. Which is caused by unpaved road. It is easily happens in vehicle
with softer springs.

• Rolling (Tilting): when the springs on one side expand and on the other side contract
it is caused by bumpy road or it can happen when turning.

• Bouncing : The up and down movement of auto body as a whole. It is caused by

running at high speeds on undulating (wavy) surface and when springs are soft.

• Yawing (spinning): The movement of the cars longitudinal Centre line to the right
and left in relation to the car’s Centre of gravity.
Force acting on vehicle tire and wheel
• All control forces are fed through the tires, and so any loss of grip results in a loss of
control of the vehicle
These forces include
1. Acceleration
2. Braking
3. Cornering
4. Normal reaction forces
5. Yaw moment
6. Inertia of the tire and wheel
Types of Suspension
• Dependent Suspension
– The motion of a wheel on one side of the vehicle is dependant on the motion of partner on the
other side
• Independent Suspension
– The motion of wheel pairs is independent, so that a disturbance at one wheel is not directly
transmitted to its partner
 cont...
– Since each wheel in an independent suspension system is attached to its own suspension, unit movement of
one wheel does not cause direct movement of the wheel on the other side of the vehicle
– Independent suspension systems provide a separate mounting for each wheel. •
– There is no connection between the wheelsas there is when a rigid axle is used.
• Front Suspensions.
• The main purpose of the front suspension is to provide safe, comfortable handling while allowing wheel
movement for the steering and enabling the driver to react to various road conditions.
• Rear Suspensions.
• The rear suspension must be able to carry any additional loads placed in the rear of the vehicle while still
maintaining the correct ride height.
• The rear suspensions on many FWD and RWD vehicles are similar in that a solid type of axle is used.
Shock Absorbers

• Shock absorbers are actually dampers, meaning that they reduce or make something less
intense. Without the shocks, our vehicles would continue to bounce for a long time after
every bump, dip, and change in body movement.
Shock absorbers
• When a car is subjected to shocks from the road surface, the suspension
springs compress and expand to absorb those shocks.
• However, springs have the characteristic of continuing to oscillate,
and,This oscillation often takes a long time to stop.
• Because of this, riding comfort will be poor unless some means is
provided to damp this oscillation.
• This is the job of the shock absorber or “damper” to damp the rapid up-
and-down movement of the vehicle springs by converting energy of
movement into heat by forcing hydraulic fluid through small holes inside
the shock absorber
• The shock absorbers not only absorb the excess oscillation of the springs,
thus improving riding comfort.They also give the tires better road-holding
characteristics and improve steering stability.

• The shock absorbers not only absorb the excess oscillation of the springs,
thus improving riding comfort.They also give the tires better road-holding
characteristics and improve steering stability.
 Principle of opration

• A damping force is generated by the flow resistance caused by the fluid

being forced through an orifice (small hole) by the movement of a piston.

• As speed increases resistance increases

Classification of shock absorbers
1. Classification by operating principle:
I. Single action shock absorber: here damping occurs only
when the shock absorber is extended.
II. Multiple action: damping occurs in both cases
2. Classification by construction
I. Mono-tube type
II. Twin tube type
3. Classification by working medium
I. Hydraulic
II. Gas filled
Mono tube, Gas filled, double acting
 Twin-tube dampers, double acting

Main components:
• Protective Tube- it serves as a shield
against dust and other foreign materials

• Outer-tube- this serves as a fluid reservoir

and a compensating chamber for the oil
displaced as the piston enters the tube.

• Inner tube- this is the actual working

chamber.

• Piston- performs the displacement.

Principle of operation
During Bounding (Compression)
During Bounding (Compression)
OPeration
During Rebounding (Expansion)
During Rebounding (Expansion)
Gas-filled type damper
• Gas-filled type damper prevents the generation of abnormal
noise due to cavitation and aeration that can occur in shock
absorbers using only fluid.

• Minimization of cavitation and aeration also makes it possible

to obtain a more stable damping force, thus improving riding
comfort and handling stability.
 Cavitation
• When the fluid flows at high speed within the shock absorber, the pressure will drop in
some areas, forming air pockets or cavities in the fluid.
• This phenomenon is called cavitation. These cavities collapse when carried into regions
of high pressure, resulting in great impact pressure.
• This will generate noise, cause pressure fluctuations, and can damage the shock
absorber itself.
 Causes of cavity (bubbles)
 increased fluid velocity
 extreme raised oil temperature but low temp. causes increase in viscosity
 a plugged brther cap
 system at high altitude, b/c inadequate atm. pressure
Aeration

Aeration is the mixing of air with shock absorber fluid. This can
lead to noise, pressure fluctuations, and pressure loss

Causes of aeraion
 air leak into suction line

 bad shaft seal on fixed displacement pumps

improper tightened or aligned fitting
incorrect shaft rotation
any question??????

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