Closer look at the suspension
The “Hotchkiss Drive Suspension” is the system most widely used by American manufacturers from the 1930’s into the’70’s. There is a pair of longitudinally mounted leaf springs bolted to the frame fore and aft of the differential, with it securly attached at the live axle on both sides with “U” bolts. The only advantage to this system is its cost, although it transfers torque to the chassis it compromises vehicle handling. The extreme weight of the large vehicle that the springs are forced to bear only exaggerates this problem. Independent four wheel suspension can offer a big improvement in handling characteristics with any suspension system Modern front wheel drive vehicles are more functional, but carry a higher price tag, with four wheel drive units most often use a combination of the two systems.
© Siwasasil | Dreamstime.com – The Suspension Of The Pickup Photo
The optimum suspension system will give the driver greatest pleasure by delivering responsive steering and handling with effective braking capability suitable for a variety of driving conditions that can change instantly. While the driver is thoroughly enjoying himself, no other occupant will be fully aware of the bumps and vibrations or hear the road noises produced by high RPM rubber contacting any surface. These two conflicting needs are governed by three things: the springs to help keep the rubber in firm contact with the travelled surface, though their linkage, to the shock absorbers. The vehicle occupants receive a high quality, smooth ride, rather than bobbing around like dash board spring action toys. More linkages connect the driver and the frame to the suspension, braking, and steering actions transferring the demands made safely to the wheels. The suspension systems for the front and the rear can be different and may also be adjustable to help fine tune any type of driving demands. A race car or load carrying truck will have hard spring action giving the occupant a bumpy ride while a passenger vehicle will have a softer spring action for smooth comfortable ride, but at the expense of vehicle handling. A spring that is compressed or lengthened will exert a force proportional to the change. Nowadays an intricate fully independent multi-link suspension locates the rear wheel drive vehicles rubber firmly while still giving a high quality ride.
© Dezayin | Dreamstime.com – Suspension And Steering Parts Photo
Leaf springs have been used for thousands of years and were probably made of a stout wooden branch originally before slowly evolving into metal ones later used on horse drawn carriages. Further refinements came with modern roads and the high powered internal combustion engine that used them. Modern leaf springs are to the rear of most of the muscle cars we now collect and also used for the rear suspension, of load carrying trucks and heavier vehicles.
© Jimmyan8511 | Dreamstime.com – Suspension System Photo
The first shock absorber was used by Mors of Paris in 1901. Henri Fournier won the high profile Paris to Berlin race in his “Mors Machine” partially due to the machines shock dampened suspension system. Coil springs were first commercially used by the British Motor Company in 1906 and are now commonly used on most automobiles. Leyland Motors was first to use a torsion spring suspension in 1920- also known as torsion bar or torsion beam suspension. This system will have a long bar firmly attached to the frame, while the other end holds the key-a lever attached to the axle, a spindle or a suspension arm and the bar will twist to absorb shock from the vertical motion of the wheels. The amount that the bar will twist on its axes is known as the bar’s torsion resistance. The first independent front suspension system was used in 1922 on a Lancia, but now independent suspension is common on all four wheels in most passenger cars.
Ford’s model “T” has the drive shaft incased in a tube, and the differential is attached to the chassis by two slender rods with a laterally mounted leaf spring. The torque tube, surrounding the drive shaft applies force to its ball joint at the rear of the transmission. Again around 1936 Buick used a similar system and the last torque used in the USA is driving the Nash Airflyte bath tub car from 1949 until ’51.
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