You may have heard the interesting fact that there’s more computer power in your smartphone than on the Apollo mission to the moon. Did you also know that the same can be said about your 2015 vehicle? Today’s vehicles are very complicated, so your Pennsylvania Area Toyota dealer wants to simplify it by explaining modern car suspensions.
Independent Versus Dependent
The real difference between dependent and independent suspension is how the wheels are allowed to move. In the old days, most cars were made with straight axles across the length of the car. That would mean that if one wheel was going over a bump, the opposite wheel would be affected. Independent suspensions, by far the most common today, allows all the wheels to move independently of one another.
Struts
The most widely used struts in most passenger vehicles are called MacPherson struts. The MacPherson strut combines a spring and a shock absorber in a kind of column that connects to the wheel. When you turn your steering wheel, it is the strut that causes the wheel to turn and absorbs impact from bumps.
Springs
Springs are used with what’s called a double-wishbone structure. Two A-frame pieces of metal are connected in the middle by a large coil spring and meet at their apex where the wheel is. As a wheel goes over a bump, the spring compresses and absorbs the impact.
Multi-Link
A more recent version of the double-wishbone design, the big difference is that the wishbones are not single pieces of metal, but rather multiple pieces joined together. There is still a spring between the upper and lower set, but the pieces themselves are able to turn with the wheel, making it more adaptable to road conditions.
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