Suspension And Damping, Basic Function - GF32.00-P-9900A

MODEL ALL (CAR) 

Overview 

This document contains information on:

• General 
• Function 

General 

During driving operation, various forces such as, e.g. road bumps, impact on the vehicle. These forces cause vibrations that impact on the vehicle in different ways, e.g. generate body acceleration or deviation from tire uniformity. These unwanted vibrations are absorbed through interaction of the suspension and dampening. The aim of the suspension and dampening combination is to provide ride comfort, driving safety and a continuous road feel.

Function 

The suspension connects unsprung masses with sprung masses. A compact design is provided by helical springs that act as spring elements in combination with the required shock absorbers. Helical springs with a progressive spring rate enable a combination of soft to firmer spring rates to be achieved, depending on the given load and dynamic condition of the vehicle (brakes, acceleration, cornering). A vibratory system is formed by connecting the vehicle body and wheel masses through the springs. Vibration dampers or shock absorbers are used to dampen any generated vibrations. Shock absorber convert the impacts and vibrations into thermal energy. Active adjustment damping enables the damping characteristic to be adapted on a wheel-specific basis to the road surface condition and the driving style.