Vicki Carlson Your car’s suspension system is just as crucial to its performance as the engine. It ensures a smooth ride and keeps your tires on the ground. If you want to know more about the suspension in your vehicle, continue reading this article. You will get a basic understanding of how suspension works and the different kinds of suspension.
Suspension Fundamentals
The main benefit of a suspension system is comfort. Older cars with stiff suspension systems are more susceptible to bumps in the road and poor driving conditions. The suspension in your car absorbs the impact introduced to the vehicle and keeps your ride smooth. This is done with a series of springs and shock absorbers. When you hit a bump in the road, the spring coils upwards, keeping the car relatively level. Then when the spring uncoils, shock absorbers take the energy and dissipate it to reduce bounce.
Your car carries sprung and unsprung weight. Simply put, sprung weight is everything held up by the suspension system, and unsprung weight is everything below it. Some examples of unsprung weight are wheels, calipers and brake systems. Generally speaking, a lower unsprung weight will improve your car’s performance. If you notice your vehicle is not performing well, look into getting suspension work Lakewood CO done.
Suspension Types
Dependent suspension means that both wheels in the front or back of the vehicle are attached to one axle. Independent suspension utilizes a separate suspension system for each wheel. Higher-end cars sometimes use independent suspension for each wheel, but it is most common to have independent suspension on the front and dependent on the back.
A vehicle’s suspension system is crucial to smooth and safe driving. Without the invention of modern suspension systems, it would be dangerous to drive at higher speeds. If your motor vehicle suffers an accident, make sure the suspension system is inspected before continuing to drive it.
