Student Book

UNIT ELEVEN REAR SUSPENSION SYSTEM DESIGN AND REPAIR TABLE OF CONTENTS
LESSON ONE - REAR SUSPENSION SYSTEM DESIGN ...........................................................2 NON-INDEPENDENT REAR SUSPENSIONS .........................................................................3 Solid Rear Axle Suspension - Rear-Wheel Drive ..................................................................3 Solid Rear Axle Suspension - Front-Wheel Drive..................................................................5 SEMI-INDEPENDENT REAR SUSPENSIONS ........................................................................6 Trailing Arm Suspension....................................................................................................6 Trailing Arm with Track Bar................................................................................................7 Torsion Bar Rear Suspension.............................................................................................8 INDEPENDENT REAR SUSPENSIONS (REAR-WHEEL DRIVE)..............................................9 Short Long Arm (SLA) Rear Suspension .............................................................................9 Rear Trailing Arm Suspension.......................................................................................... 10 INDEPENDENT REAR SUSPENSIONS (FRONT-WHEEL DRIVE) ...................................... 11 Short Long Arm (SLA) Rear Suspension ........................................................................... 11 MULTI-LINK REAR SUSPENSIONS..................................................................................... 13 Chapman Strut ............................................................................................................... 13 Multi-Link Rear Suspension ............................................................................................. 14 Modified Strut Rear Suspension ....................................................................................... 15 Wishbone Rear Suspension............................................................................................. 16 LESSON TWO - REAR SUSPENSION SYSTEM DIAGNOSIS AND SERVICE ........................... 18 SHOCK ABSORBERS ....................................................................................................... 19 COIL SPRINGS.................................................................................................................. 19 STABALIZER BARS AND BUSHINGS ................................................................................. 20 STABALIZER BAR ATTACHING LINKS................................................................................ 20 KNUCKLES....................................................................................................................... 20 UPPER CONTROL ARMS .................................................................................................. 20 UPPER BALL JOINT WEAR INSPECTION ........................................................................... 21 LATERAL LINKS................................................................................................................ 21 TRAILING LINKS................................................................................................................ 22

Student Book

UNIT ELEVEN REAR SUSPENSION SYSTEM DESIGN AND REPAIR

LESSON ONE REAR SUSPENSION SYSTEM DESIGN

TERMINAL OBJECTIVE
Successful completion of this Units enabling objectives (technical competencies) will allow you to meet the Integrated Curriculum Standards (ICS) listed in the right margin.
ICS 045 Problem Solving and Decision 155 Steering and Suspension Systems 166 Inspection 167 Diagnosis

ENABLING OBJECTIVES
Upon completion of Lesson One, you should be able to:

Identify and explain the basic characteristics of leaf, control arm, and strut-type rear suspension systems. Explain the function of springs and Hookes law. Explain the terms force, inertia, lever, and momentum, and how these science terms apply to automotive steering and suspension systems.

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Student Book

UNIT ELEVEN REAR SUSPENSION SYSTEM DESIGN AND REPAIR NON-INDEPENDENT REAR SUSPENSIONS
Solid Rear Axle Suspension - Rear-Wheel Drive
Many rear wheel drive vehicles use solid axles for the rear suspension because the ring, pinion and axles can all be contained in one axle or housing. They are also durable and economical. Solid axles can be supported with leaf or coil type springs. The first configuration, using leaf springs, controls fore/aft, lateral, braking and acceleration forces because the main leaf attaches the axle to the frame.

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Student Book

UNIT ELEVEN REAR SUSPENSION SYSTEM DESIGN AND REPAIR

When coil springs are used, control arms are also used. Control arms are arranged to hold the axle in proper position. There are three basic arm configurations. The trailing arm configuration uses four arms and is often called a "four link" or "quad link" system. These suspensions were designed to improve rear tire traction in high horsepower applications by tuning the link's pivot points to intersect the vehicle's center of gravity or front to rear roll axis. This improved the leverage created by the axle torque to transfer vehicle weight under acceleration to the rear tires. A track bar is sometimes used, depending on upper control arm configuration.

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UNIT ELEVEN REAR SUSPENSION SYSTEM DESIGN AND REPAIR

Solid Rear Axle Suspension - Front-Wheel Drive
Many front-wheel drive vehicles also use a solid rear axle. Since there are no rear driveline components, all that is needed is a section of box or round steel tubing. Usually solid rear axles are mounted with leaf springs to control the various forces. Once again, the advantages of this system are the low cost and high durability. Some front-wheel drive vehicles use a "V"- shaped solid axle that permits a small amount of deflection, providing some independent action.

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UNIT ELEVEN REAR SUSPENSION SYSTEM DESIGN AND REPAIR SEMI-INDEPENDENT REAR SUSPENSIONS
Trailing Arm Suspension
The system is similar to a MacPherson strut suspension, but the control arms are mounted in the rear and are called trailing arms. The spindles are mounted on the rear of the trailing arms. A coil spring is mounted on the shock absorber. The shock absorber assembly, which is mounted to the trailing arm and upper spring seat, supports the vehicle and cushions road variations. The trailing arms are connected by a lateral beam (crossmember), which can flex or deflect during body roll and hard turns. The deflection is proportional to the load and permits a limited amount of independent movement.

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UNIT ELEVEN REAR SUSPENSION SYSTEM DESIGN AND REPAIR

Trailing Arm with Track Bar
Trailing arm rear suspensions typically use a "U"-channel axle beam welded to one end of the trailing arms. The spindles bolt to the ends of the axle beam. Shock absorbers and coil springs are mounted on the axle by the trailing arms. Rear suspensions with trailing arms must have a means to control lateral axle movement, so a track bar is attached to the axle beam and frame. Additional control arms, mounted diagonally to control lateral axle movements, can also be used.

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UNIT ELEVEN REAR SUSPENSION SYSTEM DESIGN AND REPAIR

Torsion Bar Rear Suspension
A rear transverse torsion bar suspension is shown below. It operates similar to the front transverse torsion bar suspension. In this suspension the torsion bars are mounted in a line block located in the center of the vehicle. The outer ends are mounted into the trailing arms, which support the vehicle. The trailing arms are attached to the vehicle at the torsion support brackets. In this system, there are two torsion bars; one for the left side and one for the right side. This is because during suspension movement the torque is exerted on the torsion bars at different angles.

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The bar directly behind the torsion bars is an anti-roll (anti-sway or stabilizer) bar. It transfers vehicle weight from the outside to the inside as the vehicle turns. It is important to follow the Service Manual procedures when servicing the rear suspension on these vehicles. Special tools are necessary for obtaining proper vehicle curb height. The anti-roll bars must be installed prior to the torsion bars.

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Student Book

UNIT ELEVEN REAR SUSPENSION SYSTEM DESIGN AND REPAIR INDEPENDENT REAR SUSPENSIONS (REAR-WHEEL DRIVE)
Short Long Arm (SLA) Rear Suspension
A SLA configuration is sometimes used on the rear suspension. This rear SLA suspension uses two half-shafts with universal joints. This suspension is also referred to as a "toe link" suspension, because of its rear steering capabilities designed into it. Some rear suspensions use upper and lower control arms that are high-strength tubular steel. The arms have ball joints, which are replaceable and support the rear knuckle. The knuckle rotates, providing passive rear steering. The knuckle is much like a frontwheel drive vehicle's knuckle, because it has a hub and bearing assembly. A half-shaft (driven by the rear differential) drives the rear wheel and is supported by the hub and bearing assembly. This SLA suspension provides a knuckle (axis) for rear steering to occur. This system is compact and provides the strength required.

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UNIT ELEVEN REAR SUSPENSION SYSTEM DESIGN AND REPAIR

Rear Trailing Arm Suspension
On rear-wheel drive applications, a transverse leaf spring or coil-over shocks can be used to provide vehicle support with the differential attached to the frame or driveline. The control arms may be trailing or front to rear links may be used. A lateral link or arm must also be used to control the wheel's vertical position and side forces. This suspension is independent because it allows each rear wheel to be driven by a separate half-shaft (axle), which can move independently from the opposite half-shaft. The half-shafts use constant velocity or universal joints to allow independent up-anddown movement, like many front-wheel drive suspensions.

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UNIT ELEVEN REAR SUSPENSION SYSTEM DESIGN AND REPAIR

INDEPENDENT REAR SUSPENSIONS (FRONTWHEEL DRIVE) Short Long Arm (SLA) Rear Suspension
A fully independent SLA rear suspension is used on some vehicles. In this configuration, the U-shaped upper control arm is attached to the knuckle through a ball joint and to the rear crossmember with a pivot pin. Two lateral arms replace the traditional one-piece lower control arm. Each lateral arm is attached at one end to the knuckle (one at the front and one at the rear) and to the rear crossmember at the other end. The lateral arms control lateral movement of the knuckle.

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UNIT ELEVEN REAR SUSPENSION SYSTEM DESIGN AND REPAIR

A trailing arm, attached between the knuckle and a bracket on the vehicle's underbody, is used to control fore and aft movement of the knuckle. A stabilizer bar is used to control forces encountered during turning. The stabilizer bar is attached to each forward lateral arm through stabilizer bar links and to the rear crossmember. Coilover shock absorbers are attached between the knuckle and the vehicle's underbody. (The coil springs are rated separately for each side of the vehicle.)

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UNIT ELEVEN REAR SUSPENSION SYSTEM DESIGN AND REPAIR MULTI-LINK REAR SUSPENSIONS
Chapman Strut
Independent rear suspensions are often seen on front-wheel drive vehicles. This is because rear-wheel drive transmission and driveline components are not needed and the wheels can be mounted on short (stub) axles. The spindle is sometimes mounted on a Chapman strut. When Chapman struts are used, lateral links are attached to the front and rear of the spindle and to the rear crossmember to control lateral movement. A trailing arm is used to control fore and aft spindle movement.

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UNIT ELEVEN REAR SUSPENSION SYSTEM DESIGN AND REPAIR

Multi-Link Rear Suspension
The multi-link rear suspension system is similar to the multi-link front system. Upper and lower lateral arms attach between the knuckle and rear crossmember, and are used to control lateral forces. The compression arm found on the front system is replaced with a toe control arm, which also connects between the crossmember and knuckle. Also, a trailing arm is added to control fore and aft forces. A coil-over shock absorber attaches between the vehicle's body and the knuckle. The toe control arm limits toe-out on turns tendencies, and helps to control toe angles during cornering. The configuration of the lower lateral arm and toe control arms also provide passive rear steering.

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UNIT ELEVEN REAR SUSPENSION SYSTEM DESIGN AND REPAIR

Modified Strut Rear Suspension
On rear modified strut applications, the coil spring mounts on the control arm and frame. The control arm contains a strut (rod) to prevent fore and aft movement or is an A-shaped arm. The assembly is a strut without a pivot or spring like the Chapman strut. The modified rear strut suspension is independent and can have slight camber changes during turns. It uses more components than a straight axle. The modified strut also allows for more passenger or luggage compartment room in some applications because the coil spring is mounted lower in the vehicle.

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UNIT ELEVEN REAR SUSPENSION SYSTEM DESIGN AND REPAIR

Wishbone Rear Suspension
The wishbone suspension system is similar to SLA systems and is also fully independent. In this design, the knuckle and trailing arm are one piece. The trailing arm portion of the knuckle controls fore and aft movement and is attached to a bracket on the vehicle's underbody. The knuckle is also attached to the upper and lower control arms and assist link. The assist link and lower control arm attach to the bottom of the knuckle and the upper control arm attaches to the top of the knuckle. The opposite ends of these three arms are attached to the rear crossmember. All three are used to control lateral forces. A coil-over shock absorber mounts between the knuckle and the vehicle's underbody. A stabilizer bar, connected to the knuckles at each end through stabilizer bar links and to the rear crossmember at the center, controls suspension movement during turns and acceleration.

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UNIT ELEVEN REAR SUSPENSION SYSTEM DESIGN AND REPAIR

The advantages that the wishbone suspension system offers are good high-speed cornering and directional stability. This suspension system is lightweight and space efficient, and is most often used on high performance cars.

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