Search results
Results From The WOW.Com Content Network
The unsprung mass (colloquially unsprung weight) of a vehicle is the mass of the suspension, wheels or tracks (as applicable), and other components directly connected to them. This contrasts with the sprung mass (or weight) supported by the suspension, which includes the body and other components within or attached to it.
Sprung and unsprung mass are shown. Sprung mass (or sprung weight), in a vehicle with a suspension, such as an automobile, motorcycle, or a tank, is the portion of the vehicle's total mass that is supported by the suspension, including in most applications approximately half of the weight of the suspension itself.
Swing axle suspensions often used leaf springs and shock absorbers, though later Mercedes-Benz applications used coil springs and the VW beetle swing axle was torsion bar sprung. One problem inherent in the swing axle concept is that it almost inevitably results in a very high roll centre which causes detrimental jacking effects and camber ...
Calculating this requires knowing the vehicle's sprung weight (total weight less the unsprung weight), the front and rear roll center heights, and the sprung center of gravity height (used to calculate the roll moment arm length). Calculating the front and rear sprung weight transfer will also require knowing the roll couple percentage.
The main factors that improve unsprung weight are a sprung differential (as opposed to live axle) and inboard brakes. (The De Dion tube suspension operates much as a live axle does, but represents an improvement because the differential is mounted to the body, thereby reducing the unsprung weight.) Wheel materials and sizes will also have an ...
The mass of the beam is part of the unsprung weight of the vehicle, hurting ride quality. The need for lateral location devices such as a Panhard rod or Watt's linkage adds more unsprung weight and partially offsets the beam axle's advantages in terms of simplicity, space efficiency, and cost.
One advantage for a comfortable ride was the reduction in unsprung weight, as the kingpins and steering gear were inboard of the suspension, and not thus counted as sprung mass. This in turn led to 'synchronous' behaviour in many cars with this suspension, where the natural frequency of the front wheel suspension, unusually for the time ...
Forward and backward position was controlled through the anti-roll bar. Overall this required a simpler and cheaper set of suspension members than with wishbones, also allowing a reduction in unsprung weight. As the anti-roll bar is required to control wheel position, the bars of a MacPherson strut suspension may be connected through ball joints.