Since Carl Benz, a German, founded Mercedes Benz in 1885, marking the birth of the first car in the world, human land transportation mode has changed from biological power driven to fossil energy driven. After more than 130 years of development and evolution, the driving and riding comfort of automobiles have been significantly improved, which is inseparable from the continuous progress of vehicle chassis technology.
Traditionally, vehicle chassis technology can be roughly divided into two categories: independent suspension and non independent suspension. Non independent suspension systems, such as leaf spring suspension and torsion beam suspension, are widely used in heavy-duty commercial vehicles such as buses and trucks. The leaf spring suspension uses high-strength alloy materials to bundle a series of steel plates with elastic deformation together and build them on key axles of the chassis to support weights of tens of tons. Independent suspension systems, including MacPherson suspension, double wishbone suspension, and multi link suspension, are more commonly used in passenger cars that pursue handling and comfort.
Torsion beam suspension
The design of the torsion beam suspension is clever, as it fixes both ends of the wheels on a transverse steel shaft, which forms the main body of the torsion beam. When one side of the wheel bounces during driving, the torsion beam will bounce within a predetermined range, thereby driving the other side of the wheel to jump synchronously, effectively reducing the body's sway and shaking. In addition, this horizontally placed steel shaft also serves as a lateral anti roll bar, further enhancing the stability of the vehicle when turning or cornering. Due to these advantages of torsion beam suspension, it is widely used in the rear axle position of mid to low end vehicle models and commercial heavy-duty vehicles.
macpherson suspension
The inventor of the Mcpherson suspension, a genius existence, was named Mcpherson. After graduating from university, he ventured into the field of aviation engines in Europe and later joined General Motors in the United States. He designed a small car for Chevrolet and innovatively introduced the MacPherson suspension. In 1950, he switched to Ford Motor Company in the United States and widely applied this technology to two sedans produced by Ford UK in the same year.
As the world's first independent suspension, the MacPherson suspension cleverly integrates ergonomic principles. It cleverly integrates the spiral spring, shock absorber, and force transmission device that carry vibration and impact, not only achieving compactness of the vehicle structure, but also significantly improving the comfort of driving and riding. Today, MacPherson suspension has become the most widely used suspension system for car models worldwide, especially dominating in front wheel drive models. Its compact structure, durability and reliability are deeply loved by the public. Whether it is the affordable Volkswagen Bora or the luxurious Porsche 911, they all choose the MacPherson suspension.
The double wishbone suspension can be regarded as an upgraded version of the MacPherson suspension. By adding a connecting column to the force transmission device and connecting it to the control arm above the hydraulic shock absorber, the double wishbone suspension has achieved significant improvements in stability and reliability. Its biggest advantage lies in its high lateral stiffness, excellent anti roll performance, strong grip, and clear road feel. Double wishbone technology is commonly used in the front suspension systems of high-end car models, especially in the products of European supercar manufacturers such as Maserati and Alfa Romeo.
Multi-Link Suspension
The multi link suspension system is like a stable tower, with several support rods or tension lines forming a stabilizer below it. This suspension system uses 3-5 connecting rods as force transmission devices, which together with coil springs and shock absorbers form an efficient whole. Compared to double wishbone suspension, multi link suspension performs better in improving vehicle comfort and stability. However, due to its complex manufacturing process and high cost, multi link suspension systems are often adopted by mid to high end sedans, such as luxury models like the Mercedes Benz S-Class.
From the perspective of structural complexity, multi link suspension systems are the most complex, followed by double wishbone suspension, then MacPherson suspension, while torsion beam suspension and leaf spring suspension are relatively simple. Similarly, from a cost perspective, multi link suspension, as a standard feature of high-end models, has the highest cost, followed by double wishbone suspension, MacPherson suspension, and then torsion beam suspension and leaf spring suspension.
However, in terms of durability, reliability, and maintenance economy, leaf spring suspension performs well, followed by torsion beam suspension and MacPherson suspension, while double wishbone suspension and multi link suspension are relatively weaker. As for handling and driving comfort, multi link suspension ranks first with its excellent performance, followed closely by double wishbone suspension, MacPherson suspension ranks third, while torsion beam suspension and leaf spring suspension are slightly inferior in this regard.
In addition, air suspension, as a high-end technology, is widely used in high-end car models. It replaces traditional coil springs with compressed air, providing a more comfortable driving experience. At the same time, the development of shock absorbers is also advancing rapidly, with various forms and technologies emerging, such as hydraulic shock absorbers, adaptive damping variable shock absorbers, continuous damping variable shock absorbers, and magnetohydrodynamic damping shock absorbers. These advanced shock absorption technologies not only enhance the driving comfort of vehicles, but also ensure driving safety.
In suspension systems, shock absorber components play a crucial role. Almost all suspension systems rely on shock absorbers to provide stable support and a comfortable driving experience. Therefore, once oil leakage or failure of the shock absorber is found, it should be replaced immediately to ensure driving safety and comfort are not affected.