Search Results

Competitive pressures, globalization of markets, and integration of new materials and technologies into heavy vehicle suspension systems have increased demand for durability validation of new designs. Traditional Proving Ground and on-road testing for suspension development have the limitations of extremely long test times, poor repeatability and the corresponding difficultly in getting good engineering level data on failures. This test approach requires a complete vehicle driven continuously over severe Proving Ground events for extended periods. Such tests are not only time consuming but also costly in terms of equipment, maintenance, personnel, and fuel. Ideally multiple samples must be tested to accumulate equivalent millions of kilometers of operation in highly damaging environments.

This paper discusses steer related issues in passenger car suspensions. It provides background and data showing steer response during a variety of road maneuvers and events. It then discusses how these issues relate to the design and performance of multiaxial road simulators that are used for suspension development in the laboratory. Finally it shows examples of steer response data from operating test systems.