CHAPTER 8.
1 Types of suspension and drive
Fig. 8.1-19 Multi-link rear suspension of the BMW 5 series (E39, 1996). For the first time in large-scale car production, mainly
aluminium is used for the suspension system derived from the geometry of the BMW 7 series.
The subframe (rear-axle support) (1), produced from welded aluminium tubes, is attached to the bodywork by means of four large rubber
mounts (2). These are soft in a longitudinal direction for the purposes of riding comfort and noise insulation and rigid in a transverse
direction to achieve accurate wheel control. The differential gear also has compliant mounts (3). The wheel carrier is mounted on a U-
shaped arm (5) at the bottom and on the transverse link (7) and inclined guide link (8) at the top. As a result of this inclined position, an
instantaneous centre is produced between the transverse link and guide link outside the vehicle which leads to the desired brake
understeer during cornering and the elastokinematic compensation of deformation of the rubber bearings and components. The driving
and braking torque of the wheel carrier (11) is borne by the ‘integral’ link (9) on the swinging arm (5), which is subject to additional torsional
stress as a result. This design makes it possible to ensure longitudinally elastic control of the swinging arm on the guide bearing (10) for
reasons of comfort, without braking or driving torque twisting the guide bearings as would be the case with torque borne by pairs of
longitudinal links. The stabilizer behind presses on the swinging arm (5) by means of the stabilizer link (6), whereas the twin-tube
gas-pressure shock absorber, whose outer tube is also made of aluminium, and the suspension springs provide a favourably large
spring base attached directly to the wheel carrier (11). For reasons of weight, the wheel discs are also made of aluminium plate. The wheel
carrier is made of shell cast aluminium. The rear axle of the station wagon BMW Tourer is largely similar in design. However, the shock
absorber extends from the U-shaped swinging arm in order to allow for a wide and low loading area.
rate c4 is lower (Fig. 8.1-23). As can be seen in Fig. 8.1-61,
the springs, and/or suspension dampers, for this reason
should be mounted as far apart as possible.
The centrifugal force (Fc,Bo, Fig. 8.1-6) acting on the
body’s centre of gravity during cornering increases the
roll pitch where there is a rigid axle.
Thanks to highly developed suspension parts and the
appropriate design of the springing and damping, it has
the spring centres, which are supported on the side-members.
The spring leaves are prevented from shifting against one
another by the spring clips located behind them, which open
downwards (see also Fig. 8.1.68).
Fig. 8.1-20 Rear axle on the VW LT light commercial vehicle. The anti-roll bar is fixed outside the axle casing. The benefits of
The long, parabola-shaped rolled-out, dual leaf springs cushion this can be seen in Fig. 8.1.23. The shock absorbers, however,
the frame well and are progressive. The rubber buffers of the are unfortunately located a long way to the inside and are also
support springs come into play when the vehicle is laden. angled forwards so that they can be fixed to the frame side-
Spring travel is limited by the compression stops located over members.
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Types of suspension and drive CHAPTER 8.1
Fig. 8.1-23 When considering the roll pitch of the body with
Fig. 8.1.21 Mutual influence of the two wheels of a rigid axle
the rigid axle the distances bSp (of the springs F) and bS (of the
when travelling along a road with pot-holes, shown as ‘mutually
anti-roll bar linkage points) are included in the calculation of the
opposed springing’. One wheel extends along the path s2 and
transfer with mutually opposed springing. i4 is squared to give
the other compresses along the path s1.
the rate c4:
i4 [ br =bSp and c4 [ cr i24
been possible to improve the behaviour of rigid drive
The greater the ratio, the less the roll reaction applied by the
axles. Nevertheless, they are no longer found in standard- body, i.e. the springs and anti-roll bar arms should be fixed as
design passenger cars, but only on four-wheel-drive and far out as possible on the rigid axle casing.
special all-terrain vehicles (Figs. 8.1-43 and 8.1-68).
Because of its weight, the driven rigid axle is outper-
formed on uneven roads (and especially on bends) by also the most economic way of overcoming the main
independent wheel suspension, although the deficiency disadvantage of rigid axles.
in road-holding can be partly overcome with pressurized In contrast to standard-design vehicles, the use of
mono-tube dampers. These are more expensive, but on the rigid rear axle in front-wheel-drive vehicles has
the compressive stroke, the valve characteristic can be advantages rather than disadvantages (Fig. 8.1-24). The
set to be harder without a perceptible loss of comfort. rigid rear axle weighs no more than a comparable in-
With this, a responsive damping force is already opposing dependent wheel suspension and also gives the option
the compressing wheels. This is the simplest and perhaps of raising the body roll centre (which is better for this
type of drive). Further advantages, including those for
driven axles, are:
they are simple and economical to manufacture;
there are no changes to track width, toe-in and
camber on full bump/rebound-travel, thus giving
low tyre wear and sure-footed road holding;
there is no change to wheel camber when the body
rolls during cornering (Fig. 8.1-6), therefore there
is constant lateral force transmission of tyres;
the absorption of lateral force moment MY ¼
FT,X hRo,r by a transverse link, which can be placed
at almost any height (e.g. Panhard rod, Fig. 8.1-25);
optimal force transfer due to large spring track width
bsp
the lateral force compliance steering can be tuned
Fig. 8.1-22 If the differential is located in the body of the rigid towards under- or over-steering (Fig. 8.1-29).
axle, the driving torque MA coming from the engine is absorbed
at the centres of tyre contact, resulting in changes to vertical There are many options for attaching a rigid axle rear
force DFy,W,r. suspension beneath the body or chassis frame. Longi-
In the example, MA would place an additional load on the left rear tudinal leaf springs are often used as a single suspension
wheel (FY,W,r þ DFy,w,r) and reduce the vertical force (FY,W,r
control arm, which is both supporting and springing at
DFy,w,r) on the right one.
On a right-hand bend the right wheel could spin prematurely, the same time, as these can absorb forces in all three
leading to a loss in lateral force in the entire axle and the car tail directions as well as drive-off and braking moments
suddenly breaking away (Fig. 10.1-37). (Fig. 8.1-26). This economical type of rear suspension
also has the advantage that the load area on lorries and
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