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 Suspension : Information: An Introduction (Steering Basics)
It seems like everyone is
always so concerned with their engines that they forget all about their
suspension. Its no big mystery that drag racing (straight line speed) is the
primary concern of Import enthusiasts, but those of you you love tackling the
corners I give a this article, a little insight into the workings of modern
suspension system.
The most profound and yet one of the most elementary
principles of cornering is Ackerman Steering. It is simple really the
greater the radius the greater the circumference of an a circle. You may be
asking yourself what does that have to with steering and cornering. Well, when
going around a corner/arc you are simply traveling the circumference of some
circle. Since the outside wheel is further from the center it must travel a
greater distance, and the inside wheel of the steered axle must travel a tighter
arc than the outside. If both wheels turned the same amount as with a straight
axel both wheels would effectively be following different curves around the same
corner which would result in a significant reduction in grip. The concept
behind Ackerman steering allows the inside wheel to turn on a tighter arc than
the outside wheel. Toe-Out is also increased
during cornering to improve stability. Ackerman Steering is not a new concept,
it has been know to automotive engineers for decades, all the way back to the
some of the very first automobiles.
Yes I am aware of the fact this information is not essential
or extraordinarily useful in tuning your suspension, but we all have to learn to
crawl before we can run, so I am starting with the basics. Look out for more
articles on this topic in the near future. I hope you find this info useful.
Toe Toe is the amount
the tire's point outward or inward when looking down on a car from a bird's eye
view. Toe-out indicates
the wheels point slightly away from vehicle center in a straight on path ( / ), while
toe-in indicates a slight bias towards vehicle center ( / ). Zero toe would be a case
where the wheels point dead ahead when the steering is centered. Toe plays an
important part in straight line stability and vehicle turn-in characteristics.
Toe-in makes the car easier to keep pointed straight during normal driving
and under heavy braking, while toe-out makes the vehicle feel more eager to
enter corners but will cause directional stability to suffer and and a reduction
in stability under braking.
By AcuraImport on Friday, December 05 2003
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