Car Suspension Manufacturing & Metals: Benefits & Drawbacks

[nb89]

Im having trouble finding information on google about how car suspensions are manufactured and what type of metals are used. I am curious in understanding what the benefits and drawbacks are to using different metals. For example how certain metals will react when they are under compression. Are there any decent websites that have such information?

 

[mgb_phys]

There are a lot of different types of car suspension, some use metal springs others use oil/air/rubber springs.
For the metal ones there isn't much variation in the metal used - generally it's spring steel!

 

[Danger]

I'm not sure exactly how much information they have on-line, but it might be worth your while to check out Power Block. Their shows, from 'Muscle Car' to 'Xtreme 4x4', have all had episodes dealing with fabricating suspensions. I think that all of their shows are available in video format on the site.

 

[Cyrus]

It all boils down to this. How much does it cost the company to make the car as cheap as possible to make the most money. If they can get away with giving you something cheap with OK performance, they will. If you want a 'GOOD' suspensions, look to race cars.

Granted, the ride will be horribly stiff and hard on the back, the suspension will do what its supposed to...make the car grip the road.

 

[Mech_Engineer]

If you want a 'GOOD' suspensions, look to race cars.

Granted, the ride will be horribly stiff and hard on the back, the suspension will do what its supposed to...make the car grip the road.

Sure, race suspensions work great on a nice smooth race track, but what about a rough or pot-holed road? It takes more than stiffness to judge the quality of a suspension system.

 

[Dr.D]

Other than the spring and damping elements, the suspension structure is almost entirely steel with the exception of rubber grommets in some cases. To speak of "different metals" suggests the idea that something other than steel might be used, but this simply is not going to happen. No other metal presents the combination of strength, formability, and durability that steel does.

Even the spring and damping elements will be built mostly from steel with the possible inclusion of some hydraulic and rubber elements.

 

[Ranger Mike]

Sure, race suspensions work great on a nice smooth race track, but what about a rough or pot-holed road? It takes more than stiffness to judge the quality of a suspension system.

almost true..but the boys running Mojave and the dirt track boys can attest to race suspension durabilty far surpassing stock components..even Daytona is very ruff..shock travel there is +/- 6 inches and ask any driver , all tracks are brutal..asphalt used to fill cracks are like a washer board...( ok for you young ones, it is totally rough)


everything else said above is true..the main reason synthetic bushings ( not rubber) are used in shock mounts, control arms, A-arms etc..is ride quality and noise..rubber was used but acid rain deteriorates them too quickly whaic his ..btw why windshield wiperes must be replaced every 6 months for max visability
one more thing.. components -stamped sheet metal, Arms, McPherson struts, trailing arms,
ball joints, shock rods, steering linkage, high quailty steel