Types of Off Road Suspension
The suspension system in an off-road vehicle is one of the most important aspects of off-road driving. Suspension enables the vehicle to drive over rocky or rough terrain without causing the car to flip, get stuck or have an extremely bumpy ride. The choice of suspension system is very important, and some suspension systems are better for certain types of off-road driving. In the off-road world, the better your suspension system, the better the ride.
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Leaf Suspension
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Leaf suspension is one of the oldest forms of suspension used for wheeled vehicles. The leaf suspension is set up with a cross piece that fits under the axle next to the wheels. The cross piece has a curved shape, and the jolts from the wheels travel up and across the cross piece, eliminating some of the major shocks from ever reaching the vehicle. The extended arms of the leaf suspension usually connect to the frame of the vehicle. A leaf suspension makes the ride much softer, but you still feel the impact somewhat.
Link Suspension
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Link suspension uses three or more arms connected to a ball joint. The link suspension system connects to the steering box and the wheel hubs. The arms are often made of different sizes or lengths, to gather shock from different points on the vehicle frame. This form of suspension absorbs much of the shock of uneven areas, making the impact of uneven surfaces much less noticeable. Link suspension is often used for riding in rocky or desert conditions.
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Coil Springs
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Coil springs are located along the wheelbase and axle. They typically connect to the wheel spindles. The spring absorbs most of the shock from the wheels, and allows the vehicle to travel more gently along uneven or difficult terrain. Sometimes coil springs are used in conjunction with other suspension types. The coil springs absorb most of the shock of uneven terrain, enabling the car to travel along difficult terrain with much less jolting and shaking.
Trailing Arm Suspension
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Trailing arm suspension uses a connecting arm from the chassis of the vehicle to the wheels and axle. The trailing arms literally are able to move up and down to raise or lower the vehicle along each wheel to raise or lower one side of the car. This eliminates much of the jolting from traveling off-road because the vehicle retains an even driving plane throughout the drive, no matter the unevenness of the ground.
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References
- Photo Credit 4X4 image by RomainQuéré from Fotolia.com
