Dependent Rear Suspensions• Leaf spring - If a solid axle connects the rear wheels of a car, then the suspension is usuallyquite simple -- based either on a leaf spring or a coil spring.
• In the former design, the leaf springs clamp directly to the drive axle. The ends of the leaf springs attach directly to the frame, and the shock absorber is attached at the clamp that holds the spring to the axle. For many years, American car manufacturers preferred this design because of its simplicity.
• The same basic design can be achieved with coil springs replacing the leaves. In this case, thespring and shock absorber can be mounted as a single unit or as separate components. Whenthey're separate, the springs can be much smaller, which reduces the amount of space thesuspension takes up.
Independent Rear Suspensions• If both the front and back suspensions are independent, then all of the wheels are mountedand sprung individually, resulting in what car advertisements tout as "four-wheel independentsuspension."
• Any suspension that can be used on the front of the car can be used on the rear, and versions ofthe front independent systems previously described can be found on the rear axles.
• Of course, in the rear of the car, the steering rack -- the assembly that includes the pinion gear wheel and enables the wheels to turn from side to side --is absent. This means that rear independent suspensions can be simplified versions of front ones, although the basic principles remain the same
Suspension Types: Front
The four wheels of a car work together in two independent systems -- the two wheels connected by the front axle and the two wheels connected by the rear axle. That means that a car can and usually does have a different type of suspension on the front and back. Much is determined by whether a rigid axle binds the wheels or if the wheels are permitted to move independently.
The former arrangement is known as a dependent system, while the latter arrangement is known as an independent system.
Dependent Front Suspensions
• Dependent front suspensions have a rigid front axle that connects the front wheels. Basically, this looks like a solid bar under the front of the car, kept in place by leaf springs and shock absorbers. Common on trucks, dependent front suspensions haven't been used in mainstream cars for years.
Independent Front Suspensions
• In this setup, the front wheels are allowed to move independently. The MacPherson strut, developed by Earle S. MacPherson of General Motors in 1947, is the most widely used front-suspension system.
• The MacPherson strut combines a shock absorber and a coil spring into a single unit. This provides a more compact and lighter suspension system that can be used for front-wheel drive vehicles.
The four wheels of a car work together in two independent systems -- the two wheels connected by the front axle and the two wheels connected by the rear axle. That means that a car can and usually does have a different type of suspension on the front and back. Much is determined by whether a rigid axle binds the wheels or if the wheels are permitted to move independently.
The former arrangement is known as a dependent system, while the latter arrangement is known as an independent system.
Dependent Front Suspensions
• Dependent front suspensions have a rigid front axle that connects the front wheels. Basically, this looks like a solid bar under the front of the car, kept in place by leaf springs and shock absorbers. Common on trucks, dependent front suspensions haven't been used in mainstream cars for years.
Independent Front Suspensions
• In this setup, the front wheels are allowed to move independently. The MacPherson strut, developed by Earle S. MacPherson of General Motors in 1947, is the most widely used front-suspension system.
• The MacPherson strut combines a shock absorber and a coil spring into a single unit. This provides a more compact and lighter suspension system that can be used for front-wheel drive vehicles.
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