CHASSIS DESIGN

Basic Terminology
• Front Strut Bar
• Rear Strut Bar
• Side Fender Bars
• Anti-roll Bar
• Front Strut Bar - The Front Strut Bar is installed to
minimize the weight transfer of the vehicle body,
therefore the vehicle will not loose traction easily
during cornering.
Below is the Multi-Point Strut Bar -
• Rear Strut Bar - The Rear Strut Bar is particularly
useful for a front engine front wheel drive vehicle.
The Understeer behavior can be corrected by
stiffening the rear chassis by installing a Rear Bar.
• Fender Bar - Most of the vehicle’s front chassis over
hanging is designated to carry the vertical loads from
the front suspensions, it is vital that this part of the
chassis is strong enough to take the bounce and
rebound force of the suspension.
• Anti-roll Bar – Anti-roll bars tie the lower suspension
components together across the front or back, and
affect a car's over steer and under steer. Sway bars
will keep your car flat in turns instead of leaning over
to one side.
 Types of Chassis
• Ladder Frame Chassis
• Tubular Space Frame Chassis
• Monocoque Frame Chassis
• Ulsab Monocoque
• Backbone Frame Chassis
• Aluminium Space Frame
• Carbon Fibre Monocoque
• Ladder Frame Chassis - Indicated by its name, looks
like a ladder - two longitudinal rails interconnected
by several lateral and cross braces. The longitude
members are the main stress member. They deal with
the load and also the longitudinal forces caused by
acceleration and braking. The lateral and cross
members provide resistance to lateral forces and
further increase torsional rigidity.
Advantage : It doesn’t have much advantage these
days. It is easy and cheap for hand build, that's all.

Disadvantage : Since it is a 2 dimensional structure,

torsional rigidity is very much lower than other chassis,
especially when dealing with vertical load or bumps.

Who use it ?
Most SUVs, classic cars, Lincoln Town Car, Ford
Crown Victoria etc.
• Tubular Space Frame Chassis - As ladder chassis is
not strong enough, motor racing engineers developed
a 3 dimensional design - Tubular space frame. It
employs dozens of circular-section tubes, position in
different directions to provide mechanical strength
against forces from anywhere.
Advantage : Very strong in any direction. (compare with
ladder chassis and monocoque chassis of the same weight)

Disadvantage : Very complex, costly and time consuming to

be built.
Impossible for robotised production. Besides, it engages a
lot of space, raise the door sill and result in difficult access
to the cabin.

Who use it ?
All Ferrari before the 360M, Lamborghini Diablo, Jaguar
XJ220, Caterham, TVR etc.
• Monocoque Frame Chassis - Monocoque is a one-
piece structure which defines the overall shape of the
car.
While other chassis types provides only the
stress members and need to build the body around
them, monocoque chassis is already incorporated
with the body in a single piece.
Advantage: Cheap for mass production. Inherently good
crash protection. Space efficient.

Disadvantage: Heavy. Impossible for small-volume

production.

Who use it ?
Nearly all mass production cars, all current Porsche.
• Ulsab Monocoque - Basically ULSAB (Ultra Light
Steel Auto Body) has the same structure as a
conventional monocoque. What it differs from its
donor is in minor details - the use of "Hydroform"
parts, sandwich steel and laser beam welding. It is
used in Opel Astra, BMW 3-series.

Advantage: Stronger and lighter then conventional

monocoque without increasing production cost.

Disadvantage: Still not strong or light enough for the

best sports cars.
• Backbone Frame Chassis - Backbone chassis is very
simple: a strong tubular backbone (usually in
rectangular section) connects the front and rear axle
and provides nearly all the mechanical strength.
Advantage: Strong enough for smaller sports cars. Easy to
be made by hand thus cheap for low-volume production.
Simple structure benefit cost. The most space-saving other
than monocoque chassis.

Disadvantage: Not strong enough for high-end sports cars.

The backbone does not provide protection against side
impact or off-set crash. Therefore it need other
compensation means in the body. Cost ineffective for mass
production.

Who use it ?
Lotus Esprit, Elan Mk II, TVR, Marcos.
• Aluminium Space Frame - ASF consists of extruded
aluminum sections, vacuum die cast components and
aluminum sheets of different thicknesses. They all are
made of high-strength aluminum alloy. At the highly
stressed corners and joints, extruded sections are
connected by complex aluminum die casting (nodes).

Audi claimed A8's ASF is 40% lighter yet 40%

stiffer than contemporary steel monocoque. This enable
the 4WD-equipped A8 to be lighter than BMW 740i.
Advantage: Lighter than steel monocoque. As space
efficient as it.

Disadvantage: Still expensive for mass production.

Who use it ?
Audi
• Carbon Fibre Monocoque - Carbon Fiber is the most
sophisticated material used in aircrafts, spaceships
and racing cars because of its superior rigidity-to-
weight ratio.

Advantage: The lightest and stiffest chassis.

Disadvantage: By far the most expensive.

Who use it ?
McLaren F1, Bugatti EB110SS, Ferrari F50.