If you’re thinking that the comfortable ride we enjoy today is largely attributed to modern advances in car suspension systems, then you’re absolutely right. But if you’re thinking that your car shocks have a very simple job, you may want to hold that thought since your car’s shock absorbers, or the suspension system in general, have several important roles to play in the optimum performance of your vehicle. Don’t worry, we’ll enlighten you on anything and everything about car suspension systems in this guide.

The Function Of A Suspension System

It is quite easy to get an idea of what a car’s suspension system does. From the term ‘suspension’ itself, it is already understood that you are essentially raising something from the ground – to suspend – in an effort to minimize the impact or effects of forces of the ground on this particular something. For instance, if you lay on your back on the ground, you will definitely feel almost every other vibration from other people walking by. Now try lying on a hammock suspended several feet off the ground and these vibrations disappear. You will surely be swayed by the wind but this is different from ground vibrations. This is, of course, an oversimplification of what car suspension system is. So we’ve outlined a few of the most important functions of modern car shocks and suspension.

Absorbs Vibration, Gravitation, And Impact Forces From The Road

We can readily say that the suspension systems of the past were not really that efficient when it comes to absorbing all the different forces emanating from the road’s surface. While people way back then already started using padded cushions to lessen the impact of these forces on their butts, the ride was still far from comfortable. Such systems, thankfully, are a thing of the past. And while there may still be some car models that have suspension systems that are designed like those from the past, many of them provide greater shock and vibration absorption. So while it is not really a perfectly smooth bump-less ride, it is not bumpy either.

How Does the Suspension on a Car Work?

To put it simply, a car’s suspension is what separates us behind from the road while also preventing our vehicles from shaking and disintegrating themselves into smithereens. The point is quite simple. Even when you have the best-engineered road in the world, if you hurl a 2-ton metal at 80 mph you’re bound to get into serious trouble; you or your vehicle. So how do car suspensions really work? If you look at every car that rolls out of the assembly line, almost every single one comes with independent suspension. This means each of the wheels or the axles is independently suspended so that when one wheel loses contact with the ground, the other 3 wheels are still in communication with the surface. If you’ve owned a toy car when you were still a child, you’d know this. Since the wheels on these toy cars were not ‘individually’ suspended, when you raise one corner of your toy car, the wheel on the same side of the elevated corner is also raised. Now, if there is an independent suspension, then the wheel on this side of the toy car will remain in contact with the surface.

Car-Dependent Suspension

This design of suspension system is very simple and as such is preferred by automotive manufacturers and even by DIY enthusiasts who would like to minimize cost while still delivering the basic functions of the mechanism. You can still see this type of setup in modern cars, especially in off-road vehicles. But honestly, how many among your office-going friends do you know will gladly take an off-roader to the office on a daily basis? Anyway, most of the vehicles that still employ the beam axle design have two different axles: live and dead. The live axles come with powered wheels while free-spinning tires are mounted onto dead axles. Unfortunately, there’s a major issue with such a design. Since the tires will be moving dependent on each other, their focus will be on the maintenance of the same angle relative to each other and not relative to the ground surface. What this simply means is that handling becomes less predictable as you’ve got less traction in your tires. Just think of that old toy car of yours. There is another issue inherent to independent or beam axle systems. This design can greatly contribute to an increase in unsprung weight or weight that simply is not supported by the suspension parts of your car. Technically, this includes the mass of the wheel axles, tires, wheel hubs, and other components that are not supported by the car’s suspension. High unsprung weight can amplify vibrations or bumps felt on the road since these forces that are supposed to be absorbed by the tires are generally transmitted into the beam suspension parts. This, in turn, creates movement in the parts since there is a significantly greater mass in beam axles than in independent suspension systems. Additionally, high unsprung weight can also lead to issues of wheel control especially during hard acceleration or even braking. However, if the differential is attached to the vehicle’s body or frame instead of directly on the axle, then unsprung weight can be reduced. Still, it is no match against independent suspension systems when talking about riding comfort.

Car Independent Suspension

As we have already mentioned above, independent suspension systems are the preferred set up by many of today’s manufacturers. Such a setup allows each wheel to travel independently of each other, up and down with the shock absorber and spring that are bolted to one end of a metal frame. On the other end of this frame is a control arm that connects the suspension to the chassis. Other systems come with a wishbone instead of a control arm which technically attaches the suspension frame at two points. The correct positioning of each car suspension part in a front-wheel independent suspension system is crucial to maintaining full control of the wheels while ensuring consistent wheel alignment. This helps ensure a much safer operation of your vehicle.Independent suspension systems designed for the rear wheels are essentially the same as those found in the front wheels, except that these don’t have to take into consideration steering dynamics. Most all-wheel-drive and rear-wheel-drive vehicles will have their differentials mounted to the suspension frame right in the middle of the wishbones or the control arms. On the other hand, front-wheel-drive vehicles don’t require such a complicated arrangement of parts. A simple set of shock absorbers and springs is often sufficient.