FRONT SUSPENSION

SYSTEM
(AUTOMOTIVE)

GROUP II
WHAT IS A FRONT SUSPENSION SYSTEM?

• Suspension is the term given to the system of

springs, shock absorbers and linkages that
connects a vehicle to its wheels .

• Serves a dual purpose – contributing to the

car's handling and braking.

• Protects the vehicle itself and any cargo or

luggage from damage and wear.
 FUNCTIONS OF FRONT SUSPENSION
SYSTEM
• To support the weight of the vehicle.
• To provide a smooth ride.
• To work with the steering system for
keeping the wheels in correct alignment.
• To safeguard the occupants from road
shocks.
• To provide good road holding while
driving, cornering and braking.
TYPES OF FRONT SUSPENSION SYSTEM

• Independent Front (SS)- The independent

front suspension was developed in the 1930's
to improve vehicle ride control and riding
comfort. With the independent design, each
wheel is mounted on its own axle. This allows
the wheels to respond individually to road
conditions. Also, with independent front
suspension the sprung weight is reduced,
creating a smoother ride.
 TYPES OF FRONT SUSPENSION
SYSTEM
Dependent Front (SS)
• The dependent front suspension uses a solid
axle. This design consists of one steel or
aluminum beam extending the width of the
vehicle. This beam is held in place by leaf
springs.
• It has both right and left wheel attached to the
same solid axle. When one wheel hits a bump
in the road, its upward movement causes a
slight tilt of the other wheel.
• INDEPENDENT

• DEPENDENT/
RIGID
 BASIC PARTS
• Control Arm- movable
lever that fastens the
steering knuckle to the
vehicle’s body or
frame.

• Steering Knuckle-
provides a spindle or
bearing support for the
wheel hub, bearings
and wheel assembly.
 BASIC PARTS
• Ball Joints- swivel
joints that allow
control arm and
steering knuckle to
move up and down
and side to side.
• Springs- supports the
weight of the vehicle;
permits the control
arm and Wheel to
move up and down.
 BASIC PARTS
• Shock Absorbers or
Dampeners- keeps the
suspension from
continuing to bounce
after spring
compression and
extension.
• Control Arm Bushings-
sleeves that allow the
control arm to swing up
and down on the frame.
COIL SPRING
• Coil spring is the
most common type
of spring found on
modern vehicles.
• Coils cushion and
absorbs the shocks
and bumps
• Low cost and
compact size.
LEAF SPRING
•Used in many early applications
•Internal friction provides damping
•Provides lateral position for the axle
•Heavy
•Prone to weaken over time
•Leaf springs are now limited to the rear of some cars
DEPENDENT/RIGID FRONT SUSPENSIONS
Notice that this design also uses king pins and bushings
to attach the wheels outboard of the axle. Because of its
load carrying ability, the solid axle is only used on heavy
trucks, and off-road vehicles. It is not suitable for use on
modern passenger cars for three important reasons:

• Transfer of Road Shock. There is transfer of road shock

from one wheel to the other due to the way the wheels
are connected to the axle. This causes a rough ride and
could result in loss of traction.
• Unsprung Weight. Because the solid axle has a lot of
unsprung weight, it needs more spring and shock
control to keep the tyres in contact with the road.
• Wheel Alignment. The solid axle design makes no
provisions for alignment.
INDEPENDENT FRONT SUSPENSIONS
• The twin I-beam is one type of independent front
suspension. Although it is similar to the solid axle in many
ways, it was designed to improve ride and handling.
Because of its load carrying ability, it is used on pickups,
vans and four-wheel drive vehicles.
• The twin I-beam consists of two short I-beams supported
by coil springs, and the steering knuckles, which are
connected by, king pins or ball joints. The inner end of the
axle connects to the vehicle frame through a rubber
bushing. There is a radius arm connected to the frame
through rubber bushings. This arm controls wheelbase and
caster.
• While the twin I-beam design was an improvement over
the solid axle, it still has some flaws. For example, with the
twin I-beam the camber and track change as the wheels
move up and down creating tyre wear.
 INDEPENDENT FRONT SUSPENSIONS

Notice that the control arms are of unequal length, with the upper
arm shorter than the lower arm. This design is known as the short-
arm/long-arm, or the parallel arm design.
Using control arms of unequal length causes a slight camber change
as the vehicle travels through jounce and rebound. While this may
sound bad, it actually is not. If both arms were the same length, a
track change would occur causing the tire to travel sideways. The tires
would then scrub the pavement, causing tire wear and handling
problems.
 Control Arm Design

• It is important to know that control arm design is matched

with spring size. This produces an exact control arm
position, allowing for travel over bumps. For this reason, the
lower control arm must be horizontal or slightly lower at the
ball joint end.

• If you find that the ball joint end is higher than the inner
control bushing, the springs may be weak and sagging.
Weak or sagging springs may cause a track change, and can
create tire wear and handling problems. If you find this type
of problem during an inspection, measure the vehicle's ride
height to confirm the condition of the springs.
Type 2 Coil Spring
•In this suspension, the coil spring is mounted on the upper control arm, and the
top of the spring is attached to the frame.
•In this type of design, the upper ball joint receives the weight of the vehicle and
the force of the coil spring. This makes it the load carrier.
Notice that in both Type 1 and Type 2 designs, the weight of the vehicle is
transmitted through the spring to the control arm at its bottom, and then through
the control to the ball joint. You should know that the load carrying ball joints carry
approximately one half of the total vehicle weight. This makes them subject to
severe wear.
Stabilizers
• Another important component of
the front suspension system is
the stabilizer. This device is used
along with the shock absorbers to
provide additional stability.
One example of a stabilizer is the sway bar, also known as the anti-
sway bar.
•The sway bar is simply a metal rod connected to both of the lower
control arms.
•When the suspension at one wheel moves up and down, the sway
bar transfers the movement to the other wheel. For example, if the
right wheel drops into a dip, the sway bar transfers the movement to
the opposite wheel. In this way, the sway bar creates a more level ride
and reduces vehicle sway or lean during cornering.
Torsion Bar
The torsion bar suspension is one more
example of an independent front
suspension. With the torsion bar
suspension, there are no coil or leaf
springs. Instead, a torsion bar supports
the vehicle weight and absorbs the road
shock.
The torsion bar performs the same function as a coil spring: it supports the
vehicle's weight. The difference is that a coil spring compresses to allow the tire
and wheel to follow the road and absorb shock, while a torsion bar uses a
twisting action. Other than this difference, however, the two types of
suspension construction are much the same.
The torsion bar connects to the upper or lower control arm at one end, and at
the other end connects to the frame. It can be mounted longitudinally, front to
rear, or transversely, side to side. Unlike coil springs and leaf springs, torsion
bars can be used to adjust suspension ride height.
Keep in mind that the torsion bars are not normally interchangeable
from side to side. This is because the direction of the twisting or
torsion is not the same on the left and right sides.
Because the torsion bar is connected to the lower control arm, the
lower ball joint is the load carrier. This makes the upper ball joint the
follower.
Notice that in this type of suspension the shock absorber is
connected between the lower control arm and the vehicle frame. This
allows it to control the twisting motion of the torsion bar.
Double Wishbone
• The double wishbone is another
type of strut suspension that is
becoming more common. It
combines the space saving
benefits of a strut suspension
system with the ability of the
parallel arm suspension to ride low
to the ground. This allows for a
more aerodynamic hoodline.
• With this design, the lower portion
of the strut forms a wishbone
shape where it attaches to the
lower control arm.