Land Suspension Systems

1. Land Suspension Systems • Automobiles are at the forefront of land vehicular suspension systems. • Other land vehicles use similar systems • These other land vehicles include: • trucks • golf carts • Tractors • ATVs

2. Land Suspension Systems

3. Pneumatic Tires • Tires are one of the most important parts of land-based transportation suspension systems. • Tires are constructed of • Rubber and fabric • Polyester • Rayon • Nylon • Steel

4. Pneumatic Tires

5. Pneumatic Tires (Continued)

6. Tires have two important functions • Cushioning the vehicle • Providing traction: • contact patch - the part of the tire that touches the road

7. Springs • Springs are items that are use to temporarily store energy • Automobiles use two variations of springs to absorb shock and cushion the ride • Coil Spring • Leaf Spring

8. Coil Spring • These are made by taking long steel rods, forming them into a helix shape and then heat treating them. • These springs are placed between the vehicle frame and axle.

9. Coil Springs

10. Leaf Spring • These are made of a series of steel strips (each shorter than the next) • The leaves are held together with a bolt. • The front of the leaf spring is attached to the frame, the center of the leaf spring is attached to the axle, and the back of the spring is attached to the frame

11. Leaf Springs

12. Torsion Bars • Are another commonly used “spring” on modern land vehicles. • Torsion bars do not look like springs, but they act in the same manner. • One end of the torsion bar is attached to the frame and the other is attached to the axle. • The torsion bar acts like a lever when the vehicle hits a bump.

13. Torsion Bars

14. Shock Absorbers • Shock absorbers do not absorb a road’s unevenness so it isn’t transferred to the vehicles frame. • The job of the shock absorber is to control spring oscillation. • How can you tell is you need new shock absorbers? Bounce the automobile and see if the shock absorber stops the bouncing.

15. Shock Absorbers

16. Stabilizer Bars (sway bars) • This is a long steel rod that is mounted between the two front wheel assembles. • The sway bar helps prevent the vehicle from leaning out too far when the vehicle is going around corners. • Centrifugal force causes the vehicle’s body to dip on the outside and raise on the inside of the curve. • The sway bar twists when centrifugal force acts on the vehicle and helps keep the car level.

17. Stabilizer Bars