Broad classification of suspension systems includes MacPherson Strut, Double–Wishbone and Solid Axle setup. The passenger car segment uses independent suspension setups mounted at each wheel. The purpose of a suspension unit in a car is to provide a cushion between the road and the car cabin. It must also gobble up the road vibrations and well as sudden thuds due to potholes. It must ensure a comfortable ride for the passengers. Providing stability and good handling around the corners is also the job of suspension. Let us look at each type of suspension in-depth:

The most widely used independent suspension system is the MacPherson Strut. Almost every passenger car today has this setup at the front and a simpler coil spring at the rear. MacPherson Strut includes a simple assembly of coil spring and a damper/shock absorber. The task of the spring is to store the energy from a sudden jerk from the road. The damper uses hydraulic fluid to dissipate this energy in form of heat. Together they restrict any unwanted movement of the car because of undulations on the road.

As the name suggests, Double Wishbone or Double-A suspension setup has the shape of a bone found in birds. It is also an independent setup and has two A-shaped control arms. These control arms connect to the wheel and frame of the vehicle at either end. One arm is generally shorter than the other one. As a result of this, during cornering, the tyre remains in contact with the ground because of camber gain.t doesn’t directly connect to the chassis, it is very flexible especially around the corners. The spring and damper placement are also very flexible according to the availability of space.

Typically, this suspension system is found in higher-end luxury cars. A number of vehicles also use this setup in off-roaders because the travel of the suspension setup is long and it can take care of larger bumps and potholes with ease. If comfort and handling is your priority, Double Wishbone setup is one of the best suspension systems out there at the moment.

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Solid Axle setup is the most common in heavy duty vehicles. It is found at the rear and is a solid bar connecting the two axles. It is therefore a type of dependent system. The weight of the entire truck rests on solid axle because it is very rigid and tough. Broadly speaking, there are three types of solid axle suspensions:

These are the most common spring for heavy-duty vehicles overall. It is fairly simple in construction, cheap to manufacture and does a good job. Leaf springs comprise of a number of metal plates, one of top of the other. These then connect to the solid axle of the truck parallel to the ground to get maximum work done.

The disadvantage of leaf springs includes free movement of the spring sideways as well as forward and backward. The unsprung mass is increased because they are very heavy.

Trailing Control Arm negates the disadvantage of leaf spring in that it is connected to the solid axle and chassis. Resultanlty, it prevents the sideways and forward and backward movement of the suspension. The construction is very simple as it involves on two additional control arms. They are strong and durable as well, although a bit heavy like the leaf springs.

Panhard Rod is nothing but a rigid bar running across the rear of the vehicle to prevent sideways movement. The ends connect to the chassis and solid axle n either side. They are also not expensive to manufacture or difficult to install. They can also be used in combination with trailing arm to compensate for its downside.  

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