The chassis of the car is responsible for handling and comfort on the road. The integrated operation of all components and assemblies guarantees safety during the ride. In the article, we will figure out what the front suspension of the car is and what its types are. We also consider in detail the main nodes responsible for the controllability of the vehicle.
General information about a car suspension
The main component of the car’s chassis is the suspension. Comfort and safety of movement directly depend on the depreciation system. The implementation of the energy of car movement and the damping of vibrations from the road surface is the main task of the suspension. The chassis of the car is constantly being improved. Better components and assemblies are installed, which make the structure more reliable, and the ride safe.
The first suspensions appeared much earlier than the introduction of cars into operation. They were mounted on horse-drawn carriages to overcome rough roads. Then for the first time the wheels began to move in a vertical plane, regardless of the body. The suspension device has not changed much on the first cars, the maximum speed of which was no more than 30. But over time, the design improved. Consider several popular types of front suspension, their design differences and features.
Main components
Today, each automaker uses these or those "chips" in the front suspension of the car. But almost always the same goals are pursued, namely:
- increase comfort level;
- reduce noise;
- improve handling;
- make maintenance as simple as possible;
- make the unit as safe and durable as possible.
Between all leading automotive concerns, competition is growing every year. That is why every manufacturer tries to make the chassis as adapted to any road conditions as possible. But regardless of the device of the front suspension, it consists of elements such as a stabilizer, a shock absorber, an elastic element, a guide part and a wheel support. But the implementation is different for everyone. Let's dwell on each component in more detail.
Elastic elements
They are divided into metallic and non-metallic. The first include springs, which in cars began to be used for a long time. By design, this is a set of metal plates of various lengths that are interconnected. Springs not only effectively redistribute the load, but also amortize well. In addition, they are durable and easy to maintain. Very often they are used in truck suspension. The most common metal elements are springs. They come in constant and variable stiffness. If the diameter of the rod does not change in length, then the stiffness is constant; when it changes, it is variable.
Non-metallic parts are elastic elements (chippers, buffers). They are also responsible for cushioning and redistributing loads. A striking example of non-metallic parts of the front suspension is hydropneumatic or pneumatic chambers. This suspension design allows you to change the clearance of the car and provides maximum smoothness. Typically, pneumatics or hydraulics are installed on a premium car.
In details about a directing part of the car
The main task of the unit is to keep the wheels in the correct position and maintain the trajectory. In addition, the guide part is responsible for the effective connection of the body and shock absorber, as well as the transfer of energy to the movement. The following components should be attributed to the main elements of the assembly: the front suspension arm, struts and articulated joints.
Ensuring the necessary stability of the vehicle on the road is achieved due to the presence of a stabilizer bar. It is designed to reduce the roll of the car body at the entrance to the turn and reduce the centrifugal force leading to the rollover of the car. The behavior of the car on the road largely depends on the stiffness of the stabilizer, which is a torsion bar. The softer it is, the greater the suspension travel and smoothness. Rigidity improves handling, but reduces other parameters. Usually both axles of a car are equipped with stabilizers. If the rear suspension is torsion bar, then they are placed only on the front axle.
A little bit about shock absorbers
Regardless of the type of suspension, the front suspension of the VAZ and Audi is equipped with suspension struts. They are necessary to damp wheel vibrations from the roadway. In addition, the racks provide a smooth ride and constant contact of the wheel with the roadway. Two types of shock absorbers are currently used:
- Single tube. Filled with gas. The design of the rack provides one working cylinder, in its lower part there is a chamber under pressure of 2-3 MPa. There is a floating valve between the cylinder and the chamber. It is under constant gas pressure. The main advantage of this rack is that during intensive work there is no emulsification effect (foaming of oil). Therefore, such a rack does not overheat, provides better damping and provides for installation in any position.
- Double pipe. It consists of a pair of cylinders of various diameters, one located inside the other. In the inner cylinder there is a piston rod. Communication with the external cylinder is realized through the bottom valve. The outer chamber is filled with air to compensate for the volume when the shock absorber rod moves. The main advantages are low cost and simplicity. Disadvantages - low cooling efficiency and reduced quality of work during prolonged use in harsh conditions.
Pendant "MacPherson"
Small or middle class cars are most often equipped with just such a suspension design. The key difference from other types is that the lower front suspension arm is used in conjunction with a telescopic stand. The elastic element (spring) is located directly on the rack, so the main force of the mass of the car falls on its center. The lower lever is necessary to control the trajectory of the wheels when exposed to longitudinal and transverse forces. The design is especially relevant for front-wheel drive cars. To increase stability and reduce roll, a stabilizer is installed. Usually it is made in the form of a curved rod, which is attached by a hinge to a lever or racks.
Double wishbones
This type of suspension can be safely called more complex and expensive to manufacture. Usually used on cars above the middle class. The principle of operation of such a unit is that the swing of the wheel hub is limited by the spring (if you remove the upper arm). But since the hub also needs an upper support, two levers are used, which are connected using a ball bearing.
It is also noteworthy that the upper lever is always smaller than the lower. This is done to maintain the perpendicular position of the wheel during movement. The main advantages of the double wishbone suspension are that there is a support beam that allows you to dismantle the entire suspension in a single unit. Also, this design significantly improved handling. But there are also disadvantages here - the complexity of the repair and the high cost of maintenance due to the tight layout.
Front Suspension Renault Logan
The French car on the front axle is equipped with a McPherson. This provides not only good handling, but also a high level of comfort. The design and principle of operation are as follows. At the heart of everything is a subframe. It is attached to the body through the silent blocks, which is necessary to damp vibrations and vibrations. It is on the subframe that the front suspension assembly is installed. It consists of a spring and a shock absorber. The rack is mounted on top in a special bowl, which is located in the wing, and below - to the steering knuckle. In addition, the design has a stabilizer bar, a lever, as well as a knuckle. It is worth paying attention to the fact that the “Logan” has a very solid chassis, which many motorists call “unkillable”. True, it all depends on the roads on which the vehicle moves. Installation of original parts ensures long-term operation of the unit.
Nissan Almera Front Suspension
Nissan cars of this model are equipped with an independent MacPherson suspension. It has two wishbones, which are made in the shape of a triangle. The anti-roll bar is not available on all cars. The shock absorber is two-pipe gas-filled, and the front suspension spring is of constant stiffness. Between the upper cup and the spring there is a thrust ball bearing. It allows the rack body and spring to rotate about its axis. In this case, the rod remains stationary.
Which type of suspension is better?
There is simply no definite answer to the question. It all depends on the operating conditions of the vehicle. For example, McPherson is an excellent budget solution for most small class cars. Comfort is up to the mark, and the service is extremely simple and inexpensive. But multi-link independent suspension is already a slightly different class. Here, to replace the ball front upper arm will have to work hard. Therefore, the maintenance will cost a pretty penny. But handling and comfort are much higher here. As for the dependent suspension, it is currently practically not used on passenger cars.
To summarize
We examined the main types of front suspensions used in modern vehicles. Each of the solutions has its advantages and disadvantages. But it is worth saying that it is necessary to service both McPherson and the multi-link, because a ball bearing torn out at full speed often leads to a serious accident and even death. It is worth noting that the front axle experiences heavy loads, so it should be serviced regularly. Otherwise, it may be necessary to replace the front suspension. Only genuine spare parts are recommended. It’s unlikely that anyone will change the ball bearing twice when the work is twice as expensive as the part. Therefore, it is better to purchase high-quality spare parts the first time, even if they are not always cheap.