Suspension, that is, the connection between the ground and the cabin
Machine operation

Suspension, that is, the connection between the ground and the cabin

Suspension, that is, the connection between the ground and the cabin The average car user most often pays attention to the engine, steering and brakes. Meanwhile, one of the main elements that affect driving safety is the suspension.

The efforts of car designers to improve powertrains will be futile if they are not accompanied by appropriate adaptation of the suspension, which must perform many functions, often contradicting each other.

Suspension, that is, the connection between the ground and the cabin– On the one hand, the suspension has a decisive influence on driving comfort and handling, as well as on safety – its settings and technical condition determine the braking distance, cornering efficiency and the correct operation of electronic driving assistance systems, explains Radoslaw Jaskulski, Skoda Auto. School instructor.

Suspensions are of two types: dependent, independent. In the first case, the wheels of the car interact with each other. This is because they are attached to the same element, such as a leaf spring. In independent suspension, each wheel is attached to separate components. There is also a third type of suspension - semi-dependent, in which the wheels on a given axle interact only partially.

The main task of the suspension is to ensure the correct contact of the car's wheels with the ground. We are talking about both effective damping of bumps and better grip on the ground - the exclusion of moments of wheel separation due to dips or slopes. At the same time, the suspension must ensure the correct alignment and monitor the kinetics of the entire vehicle, i.e. limit tilt when cornering, hard braking or dynamic acceleration. The suspension must handle all of these tasks in the same way as possible, but under very different conditions of load, speed, temperature and grip.

Suspension, that is, the connection between the ground and the cabinThe suspension consists of a number of components that perform different functions. This system includes elements that guide the wheel, that is, determine the geometry of the chassis (wishbones or rods), suspension elements (currently the most common coil springs) and, finally, damping elements (shock absorbers) and stabilizing elements (stabilizers).

The link between the chassis (on which the car rests) and the wishbone (which holds the wheel) is the shock absorber. There are a number of types of shock absorbers depending on the substance dampening the movement. For example, Skoda cars use modern hydropneumatic shock absorbers, i.e. gas-oil. They provide the optimum combination of efficiency and accuracy, regardless of load and temperature, while guaranteeing long, trouble-free operation.

In some models, the Czech manufacturer uses an interdependent system in the form of a torsion beam with trailing arms on the rear axle. The Skoda torsion beam is a modern and constantly evolving element. In vehicles with a lower rear axle load, it is a sufficient solution that provides good driving comfort and stability while maintaining an affordable car purchase price and low costs for subsequent operation (a relatively simple and reliable unit).

Suspension, that is, the connection between the ground and the cabinThe rear axle torsion beam is installed on Citigo, Fabia, Rapid and some versions of the Octavia engine. The remaining models of the brand, due to their more specialized purpose (off-road driving or sports driving) or greater weight, use an improved independent multi-link system. This design guarantees high driving comfort, greater safety under increased load and unimpaired driving dynamics thanks to the combination of trailing and transverse links. The multi-link system in Skoda cars is used in Superb, Kodiaq and some versions of Octavia (for example, RS).

However, on the front axle, all Skodas use the most popular type of independent suspension - MacPherson struts with lower wishbones. This is the best choice for design reasons: the speakers take up relatively little space under the hood. The biggest advantage here is the ability to lower the position of the engine, which results in a lower center of gravity for the entire vehicle.

Suspension, that is, the connection between the ground and the cabinA useful device, for example, in station wagons, is a nivomat. This is a device that maintains the rear suspension of the car at the proper level. Nivomat prevents tipping of the rear part of the body when the luggage compartment is heavily loaded. Recently, the Skoda Octavia RS and Octavia RS 230 can be equipped with an adaptive DCC suspension with a choice of driving profile (Dynamic Chassis Control). In this system, the stiffness of the shock absorbers is regulated by a valve that controls the flow of oil inside them. According to the manufacturer, the valve is controlled electronically based on a lot of data: road conditions, driving style and the selected mode of operation. Full valve opening provides more effective bump damping, small - more precise and confident handling with more efficient braking and minimizing roll.

The driving mode selection system, i.e. driving profile selection, is linked to the DCC. It allows you to adjust certain parameters of the car to the needs and preferences of the driver. The available driving modes "Comfort", "Normal" and "Sport" change the settings for transmission, steering and damper characteristics. DCC also contributes to increased active safety, as the function automatically changes from Comfort to Sport in emergency situations, thus maximizing stability and shortening the braking distance.

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