Power and speed affect automotive performance, plus you also need to consider your comfort and ability to control the car when driving. This can be measured using vehicle suspension that involves the use of motor vehicle suspension parts you need to be aware of. You always hear about car suspensions, but really, what is the role of suspension in a car?
Purpose and Parts
Vehicle suspension aims to increase the contact between the road and your tires, provide you greater control in handling and steering, support the vehicle’s weight, and maximize comfort by absorbing shock. It is far better in withstanding stress, unlike other vehicle systems.
The vehicle suspension system is composed of tires, springs, struts, joints, and shock absorbers, among other car suspension parts. Despite the multiple motor vehicle suspension parts of the system, the only parts that come in contact with the road are the tires. These are important concepts you need to know just like knowing how many people can fly on a private jet before scheduling a trip with a private jet.
Independent Suspension
Most automobile manufacturers adopt an independent vehicle suspension so the front and rear wheels can move freely. If your rear tires are not moving independently, you end up having less control in handling and traction because of the limited angle.
- Independent front suspension systems with front suspension components allow you to control the front wheels for steering and maintain alignment for your vehicle’s safe operation.
- Independent rear suspension systems function in the same way as front suspension components. The only thing that is not present is the control for steering, given the fact that rear wheels normally don’t steer.
Active Suspension
A passive suspension system is what you are used to, with only the road surface determining suspension movement. An active system takes control of the wheels by ensuring that their vertical movement is relative to the body and frame of your vehicle. It is broken into pure active and semi-active or adaptive suspensions.
- Active suspensions make use of the actuator, a suspension component, to independently lower or raise the chassis. Active suspension systems enable improved driving and handling by having the tires perpendicular to the road. A high-tech system is used through an onboard computer that can control the suspension by detecting movements of the body with the use of sensors.
- Adaptive suspensions can only change the firmness of shock absorbers to match dynamic conditions.
Advantages of a Good Suspension
Provides a Comfortable Ride
As you learn what is the role of suspension in a car, you realize that good road isolation provided by the suspension results in a comfortable ride. The suspension allows the car to move up and down without causing too much jarring.
Suspensions with good road holding can prevent body roll, which happens when the vehicle leans too far on the side during cornering. Body rolls are normal but when done too much, the weight shift can cause traction loss in your vehicle. This is why you need good car suspension parts that work well together.
Vehicles with insufficient suspension can lead to bottoming out. This occurs when the compressed suspension causes the tires to hit the vehicle’s body. This is why a good suspension component like a rubber bump-stop acts well as a cushion and prevents your suspension system or even the vehicle’s body from being damaged.
Prevents Over/Under-Steering
A good vehicle suspension can also prevent oversteer and understeer when cornering. Oversteer is when the rear wheels lose traction while understeer is when the front loses traction. This is useful when you use alternate travel options for New York and M&E Midtown.
Offers Stability
The road holding ability of a vehicle is measured by even weight distribution and good traction even when force is applied. Good stability can be measured when the front part of the vehicle doesn’t dive down when the brake pedal is engaged. If the vehicle has constant shifts in weight, power is wasted and handling ability becomes poor.
Any unusual squeaking, rattling, or clunking that you encounter when you drive on roads or over potholes can be a sign of suspension problems. You now know what is the role of suspension in a car, but you may ask yourself, "what are shock absorbers?”. Consult auto experts to give you travel tips and guidelines on choosing good motor vehicle suspension parts for your vehicle.