6th December 2024
The suspension system in your car plays an essential role in providing a smooth and comfortable ride for you and your passengers. However, not all vehicles have the same suspension system as each other. Differentiating between the various types of suspension systems is crucial to finding the right car for you.
Merityre’s informative guide covers the types of suspension systems available:
Commonly found on front-wheel drive vehicles, the MacPherson strut suspension integrates a coil spring and shock absorber into a single unit. The MacPherson strut suspension is renowned for its simple, compact design, making it easy to fit in cars with little to no engine bay space. It is popular with most manufacturers as it is lightweight and cheap to produce.
A double-wishbone suspension (or a double A-arm suspension) is used in luxury and high-performance vehicles, including supercars. This suspension type is known for its excellent handling and stability, providing a smooth and controlled driving experience. It also offers excellent ride comfort and control, particularly at high speeds, allowing your vehicle to absorb any vibrations or jolts caused by uneven road surfaces.
Leaf spring suspension systems are normally used in sport-utility vehicles (SUVs) and larger vehicles, including vans and lorries.
A leaf spring suspension consists of several metal strips (leaves) that act as dampers, allowing your van to absorb vibrations and road shocks. When your vehicle drives over uneven terrain, potholes and bumps, the springs flex, reducing body roll and maintaining a stable ride.
This type of car suspension is renowned for its durability, making leaf spring suspensions well-suited to carrying heavy loads.
Many luxury vehicles offer an air suspension system which uses air springs instead of coil springs to support the weight of your car. You can find the air springs for your air suspension between the chassis, vehicle’s frame or axle.
Since this suspension system is controlled via a computer, you can adjust the ride height and how stiff you want your suspension to be. The level of adjustability with an air suspension allows for better handling and stability and a more comfortable ride for you and your passengers.
Multi-link suspension systems are usually used in sports cars and luxury vehicles. A multi-link suspension system has multiple arms or links attached to the wheel hub onto the subframe or chassis. Having each wheel move independently with a multi-link suspension allows for superb ride comfort and handling, as vibrations from the road surface are effectively reduced.
Maintain your car’s handling and ride quality by following our how-to guide for maintaining your vehicle’s suspension system. Keep your suspension running smoothly by booking an annual full or interim service at your nearest Merityre garage across South-East England today.