499 East Old Country Road
Hicksville, NY 11801
516-822-3671
Suspension
A vehicle suspension system consists of the tires, springs, structs, shock absorbers, and linkages that all work together to support your vehicle’s handling of the road and give you a smooth and comfortable ride.
From the earliest days of motor vehicles, car manufacturers have designed ways to ensure that a driver and passengers have a pleasant experience while driving. Coil Springs, still used in cars to this day, was first introduced by the Brush Motor Company for their Brush Runabout in 1906. The Mors Automobile Factory, a French manufacturer, first designed shock absorbers for use in 1901.
The More Things Change, The More Things Stay the Same
While today’s systems are far more advanced and offer smoother rides and extremely efficient road handling, the basic ideas of shock absorbers and springs are still used in modern cars and trucks.
Roads are not always as smooth as we would like them to be. Shocks, struts, and springs are designed to take the bumps without transferring the movement into the car's cabin. Depending on if the vehicle is a rear-wheel drive, front-wheel drive, or all-wheel drive, suspension systems are configured very differently. While each wheel is independently dealing with the bumps on the road and other hazards, such as water, dirt, or gravel on the street, the wheels also have to work together to keep the car stable and securely on the road without losing control.
As you are driving, the car starts, stopping, turning, hitting potholes, and sometimes forced maneuver or stop to avoid an accident. Your suspension system is the part of the car that keeps you safe and secure as the car transfers its weight from front to rear and side to side.
Passive, Semi-active, and Active systems
Springs and dampers or shock absorbers are passive systems, and a majority of vehicles are suspended in this manner. They are passive because they are not controlled by the electronics of the vehicle, and they work independently of each other.
Some modern cars have systems that are either semi-active or active. These systems are monitored by the electronics of the car and work together, taking many factors into accounts, such as conditions of the road and how the vehicle is being operated.
The computer systems are relaying information to each of the wheels to react in tandem to different conditions. You will find semi-active and active systems in high-end luxury models.
Dependent and Independent systems
A dependent suspension system is one that has a beam or live axle that holds the wheels parallel to each other and perpendicular to the axle. If the camber, or angle of the wheels to the axle, changes on one side, the camber of the opposite wheel changes in the same way.
In independent systems, each wheel rises and falls on its own without affecting the opposite wheels. Multilink suspensions and double-wishbone are examples of independent suspension systems.
Come to Sonny's Auto Repair
We recommend that you check your suspension systems annually to ensure that this complex set of parts is working together correctly to keep you safe and comfortable.
We will always give you all options available. We will also give you an honest and fair estimate of what it will take to fix your car. So come to Sonny’s Auto Repair and keep your car running smoothly. Call us at 516.822.3671 or drop us a line here.