Rear Suspension System
Rear suspension design used on this vehicle is a multi-link system. See Fig 1 . Each side of the rear suspension consists of the following components:
- Shock assembly
- Lower control arm (and ball joint)
- Lateral links (2)
- Trailing link
- Knuckle
- Hub/Bearing
- Stabilizer bar and links (one bar common to both sides)
Bottom of rear knuckle is attached to rear lower control arms using a conventional style ball joint as in front. The ball joint is located in lower control arm and is attached to rear knuckle using a tapered stud. The tapered stub is retained in steering knuckle using a castle nut and cotter pin.
Top of rear knuckle is attached to frame using 2 lateral links. The lateral links are mounted at top knuckle just forwards and rearward of knuckle centerline. The length of both lateral links can be adjusted. The length adjustment of lateral links is used to move top of rear knuckle. The top of knuckle is moved in and out to adjust rear wheel camber and knuckle is rotated on its centerline to adjust rear wheel toe. Thus, lateral position and movement of rear knuckle is controlled using 2 lateral links.
The rear suspension used on this vehicle incorporates a trailing link as part of multi-link design. See Fig 1 . The trailing link is used as knuckle attachment point to frame which controls fore-and-aft position anti movement of rear knuckle. The trailing link though is not an adjustable component of rear suspension.
The rear suspension allows each rear wheel on a vehicle to adapt to different road surfaces and conditions without greatly affecting the opposite wheel and the ability to control the vehicle. When the vehicle strikes a bump, the force is transferred through the tire wheel, hub and bearing, steering knuckle and lower control arm to the shock assembly. The shock assembly then cushions the force, controlling vibration, along with jounce and rebound of the suspension.