MacPherson suspension on machines - what is it, device, on which machines is it installed

But the list of brands of passenger cars includes the most popular brands: Hyundai, Mitsubishi, Ford, Volkswagen, Skoda, domestic VAZs, etc.

Suspension is an important part of the chassis of the car, physically connecting the wheels to the power frame. The mechanism is constantly being improved. The outstanding American engineer MacPherson contributed to the improvement of the design: now the suspension on the car, named after the inventor, is known throughout the automotive world.

MacPherson strut - what is it?

MacPherson Suspension is a shock and vibration dampening device that the car receives from the road surface. Starting from the double wishbone system for the front pair of wheels, Earl Steele MacPherson designed a mechanism on guide posts. A type of automotive suspension is called a "swinging candle".

Suspension device

In MacPherson's independent "candle suspension", each wheel independently copes with bumps and potholes on the track. This is the most popular option for front-wheel drive passenger cars.

Vehicle suspension device

In the aggregate of components and parts, the main components of the MacPherson suspension on the machine are distinguished:

• The subframe is a load-bearing element that is attached to the body with silent blocks, which reduces noise and vibration on the sprung mass.
• The right and left transverse levers are fixed to the subframe with rubber bushings.
• A swivel fist with a brake caliper and a bearing assembly - the lower part is connected to the free end of the transverse lever by means of a ball joint, and the upper side - to the suspension strut.
• A telescopic strut with a spring and a shock absorber is attached to the wing mudguard at the top. Fastener - rubber bushing.

Another of the main components of the McPherson suspension - the stabilizer bar that prevents the car from tipping over in corners - is hinged to the shock absorber struts.

scheme

The design scheme includes more than 20 parts, including the central element - a shock absorber strut in a protective case. It is convenient to study the knot in more detail from the photo:

Which cars are equipped with MacPherson strut suspension?

The best device for the smooth running of transport vehicles has one drawback - it may not be installed on all brands of cars. A simple and cheap design does not go to sports models, where the requirements for kinematics parameters are increased.

Light trucks also do not use MacPherson strut suspension, since the strut mounting area receives heavy loads, accompanied by rapid wear of parts.

But the list of brands of passenger cars includes the most popular brands: Hyundai, Mitsubishi, Ford, Volkswagen, Skoda, domestic VAZs, etc.

Principle of operation

A small set of components makes the MacPherson strut suspension maintainable and durable in operation. The mechanism works on the principle of shock absorption and vibration leveling when the car meets a road obstacle.

See also: Steering rack damper - purpose and installation rules

When the car hits a stone, the wheel rises above the horizontal plane. The hub transfers the force that has appeared to the rack, and the latter, in turn, to the spring, which is compressed and rests against the body of the car through the support.

At this point, the piston rod in the shock absorber moves down. When the car overshoots the ledge, the spring straightens. And the slope is pressed back to the road. The shock absorber dampens the vibrations of the spring (compression-extension). The lower arm prevents the hub from moving longitudinally or transversely, so the wheel only moves vertically when hitting a bump.

Universal suspension MacPherson strut works great on the rear axle. But here we are already talking about the Chapman suspension, a modernized version of the design already by a British inventor in 1957.

MacPherson suspension ("swinging candle")