Independent suspension

An independent suspension system, in contrast to a rigid axle of separate suspensions to both sides of a two-track vehicle.

The wheel positions of both sides do not affect each other. In addition, the unsprung mass is lower. All this makes it easier to continuous ground contact of the wheels, and to avoid vibrations of the structure to increase driving safety and ride comfort.

Designs on the front axle

  • The strut suspension is the most commonly used type today for passenger cars. A lower arm carries the wheel, together with the shock absorber which is fixedly connected to the wheel carrier. In similar strut axis, the spring is not mounted to the shock absorber, but separated as a leaf or torsion spring.
  • Double-wishbone suspension and the
  • Crank arm axle, are both suspensions at -arms: in the former case the links are arranged transversely, during compression changes the gauge, unless they are of unequal length. When the crank arm axle crank arms are arranged along during compression, the wheelbase changes. It was invented by Porsche and used almost exclusively in his constructions. The double -wishbone suspension was from the thirties to the sixties predominant, with wheel- transverse leaf springs. It is still used in upscale vehicle classes and sports and commercial vehicles
  • 4- link axle. Variant of the double -wishbone suspension with dissolved the lower wishbone.
  • Multi-link suspension as a collective term for a variety of constructive remarks.
  • Swing axle earlier in small cars, otherwise only on site and off-road vehicles
  • Wherein the swing arm, the wheel is located on a longitudinally arranged carrier, which rotates the spring compression as a whole upwardly - for directing ( Dubonnet spring knee) or carries, at its top, either pivoted the rocker to an approximately vertical axis of the pivot on the stub axles When mounted wheel jounce the dribbling changed.

Types on the rear axle

When driven axles the pendulum axis is the simplest design. This paved the semi-axes pendulum to the firmly attached to the vehicle differential gear springs in the transverse vertical plane of the vehicle up and down on and off ( eg VW Beetle ). Disadvantage of this solution is a big change in camber, and a high instantaneous center. Therefore, more sophisticated solutions are used ( multi-link axles ) in modern vehicles.

More modern representatives of the independent suspension on the rear axle are:

  • , Formerly called trailing link axle of Mercedes as a diagonal swing axle
  • Steered axle
  • Double-wishbone suspension, was especially used in racing as a track -correcting " Weissach axle " in the Porsche 928
  • Trailing arm axle
  • Camuffo rear axle
Beam axle Ferdinand Porsche Dubonnet suspension
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