Suspension Literature
03-16-2009, 09:43 AM
#1
Suspension Literature
I'm looking for an informative, beginner's guide to suspension operation and tuning. I've found a few good websites, but it's difficult to read anything of length on a computer screen.
I've always read about engines and drivetrain components, but know very little about suspension.
Any book recommendations that were published fairly recently to include the latest technology as well as the basics?
Thanks!
I've always read about engines and drivetrain components, but know very little about suspension.
Any book recommendations that were published fairly recently to include the latest technology as well as the basics?
Thanks!
03-16-2009, 09:54 AM
#2
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I have also been looking for suspension books, i am sure there are some on amazon... if you have a search. I also was trying to find aerodynamics... but so complex that topic!
03-16-2009, 05:10 PM
#5
i know i know its online and not what you asked for, but it's really good:
http://www.autozine.org/technical_school/t...html#Suspension
http://www.autozine.org/technical_school/t...html#Suspension
03-16-2009, 05:42 PM
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The autozine site along with the Car Bible are both good starter sites but they are very general and not without error from time to time. Suspension, like many other aspects of car design is about the devil in the details. Some things that we have come to accept at "the right way to do it" can often be wrong or a non-issue under certain circumstances. For instance, we all "know" double A-arm is better than struts yet Porsche and BMW do very well with struts up front.
We all "know" that anti-roll bars are important yet some cars actually run "pro-roll" bars. These bars are often called Z-bars because instead of looking like a U-shaped anti-roll bar they look like a Z. They work on some cars with very high roll centers, typically cars with swing axle IRS.
Even two "identical" suspension systems aren't always the same. Two cars might both have multi-link rear suspension but changes in alignment, bushings, etc can make a big difference in real world handling.
We all "know" that anti-roll bars are important yet some cars actually run "pro-roll" bars. These bars are often called Z-bars because instead of looking like a U-shaped anti-roll bar they look like a Z. They work on some cars with very high roll centers, typically cars with swing axle IRS.
Even two "identical" suspension systems aren't always the same. Two cars might both have multi-link rear suspension but changes in alignment, bushings, etc can make a big difference in real world handling.
03-16-2009, 09:16 PM
#7
I really don't want to sound like an asshole, but I am willing to bet that I have more suspension knowledge than most people you will run across and I have read at least a dozen books on the subject and god knows how many articles and SAE technical papers.
Having said that, I am going to advise you to ignore what others have told you thusfar. Not that the things they have suggested aren't good reading material, rather that some of them are putting the cart before the horse, in my opinion.
Do not start with Tune to Win. As much as Carol Smith proclaims to write an all purpose guide for beginners, he uses many terms that only people familiar with suspension would understand. By his own admission, Tune To Win is not "when x happens change Y to achieve better balance in a corner" type of book. I strongly believe that you need a cause and effect type book to get you started.
There are two approaches to explaining suspension systems, that is to say that there are two distinct methods that the experts have chosen to take for whatever reasons. One method consists of a strong emphasis on the components, suspension geometry, and kinematics. The other approach is more of explanation of the physics at play that act on the car during cornering.
You need to know both, but I strongly feel that the first step is to understand the basic components and how they work without the complex forces they are subjected to involved in the equation.
I think the best book to start with is Competition Car Suspension by Alan Staniforth. The book is a tricky read in the sense that he is a brit and likes to go off on tangents, but from a technical stand point it is very straight forward. The book is written form the perspective of designing a single seater race car so keep that in mind.
The next book I would reccomend is Fred Puhn's How to Make Your Car Handle. Fred's book comes under some criticism for a couple of formulas (namely for calculating roll couple) that may not be exactly right, but if you arm yourself with the knowledge of Competition Car Suspension, you will be able to steer through any of Puhn's technical inaccuracies, which are debated.
The best aspect of Puhns book is that he offers and entry level discussion into the physics at play and delivers it in a very easy to swallow format.
Once you have those two under your belt, then you should consider tune to win for a more in depth explanation of some of the issues that Puhn touches on as well as the unique experience that Smith offers from a drivers perspective.
Autozine is good info for high school kids and not much else. I admit, that's where I got my start but if I had to to it all over again I would have skipped it altogether. Most of it is made up of sweeping generalizations and even some technical errors. Don't get me started on the aerodynamics section.
Aside from car bible's nifty 3d drawings, it is mostly useless and directly comparable to the info on Autozine.
If you read those two you will get a very basic understanding of how suspension systems work that is maybe one step beyond a pamphlet at a tire store or alignment shop. You will never be able to participate in a grown up discussion about suspension theory.
To summarize, think of Staniforth's book as a good introduction to suspension systems and their components and the best resource I have ever found for telling you what metrics are reasonable in a given scenario, and by far the best method for understanding and making use of suspension geometry. For example, if you want to build a good handling time attack car and you read that some guy with a similar car is running a 140 cpm spring frequency, would you know whether you should copy him or not? what does such a spring frequency mean? What would be ideal? What rates would I need to achieve such a goal?
Puhn's book is a good intro to understanding the forces that act on the car.
If you are anxious for some quick info I have a couple of pdfs that are very good, if not a bit too technical, including one from Jim Hall that is very informative.
Having said that, I am going to advise you to ignore what others have told you thusfar. Not that the things they have suggested aren't good reading material, rather that some of them are putting the cart before the horse, in my opinion.
Do not start with Tune to Win. As much as Carol Smith proclaims to write an all purpose guide for beginners, he uses many terms that only people familiar with suspension would understand. By his own admission, Tune To Win is not "when x happens change Y to achieve better balance in a corner" type of book. I strongly believe that you need a cause and effect type book to get you started.
There are two approaches to explaining suspension systems, that is to say that there are two distinct methods that the experts have chosen to take for whatever reasons. One method consists of a strong emphasis on the components, suspension geometry, and kinematics. The other approach is more of explanation of the physics at play that act on the car during cornering.
You need to know both, but I strongly feel that the first step is to understand the basic components and how they work without the complex forces they are subjected to involved in the equation.
I think the best book to start with is Competition Car Suspension by Alan Staniforth. The book is a tricky read in the sense that he is a brit and likes to go off on tangents, but from a technical stand point it is very straight forward. The book is written form the perspective of designing a single seater race car so keep that in mind.
The next book I would reccomend is Fred Puhn's How to Make Your Car Handle. Fred's book comes under some criticism for a couple of formulas (namely for calculating roll couple) that may not be exactly right, but if you arm yourself with the knowledge of Competition Car Suspension, you will be able to steer through any of Puhn's technical inaccuracies, which are debated.
The best aspect of Puhns book is that he offers and entry level discussion into the physics at play and delivers it in a very easy to swallow format.
Once you have those two under your belt, then you should consider tune to win for a more in depth explanation of some of the issues that Puhn touches on as well as the unique experience that Smith offers from a drivers perspective.
Autozine is good info for high school kids and not much else. I admit, that's where I got my start but if I had to to it all over again I would have skipped it altogether. Most of it is made up of sweeping generalizations and even some technical errors. Don't get me started on the aerodynamics section.
Aside from car bible's nifty 3d drawings, it is mostly useless and directly comparable to the info on Autozine.
If you read those two you will get a very basic understanding of how suspension systems work that is maybe one step beyond a pamphlet at a tire store or alignment shop. You will never be able to participate in a grown up discussion about suspension theory.
To summarize, think of Staniforth's book as a good introduction to suspension systems and their components and the best resource I have ever found for telling you what metrics are reasonable in a given scenario, and by far the best method for understanding and making use of suspension geometry. For example, if you want to build a good handling time attack car and you read that some guy with a similar car is running a 140 cpm spring frequency, would you know whether you should copy him or not? what does such a spring frequency mean? What would be ideal? What rates would I need to achieve such a goal?
Puhn's book is a good intro to understanding the forces that act on the car.
If you are anxious for some quick info I have a couple of pdfs that are very good, if not a bit too technical, including one from Jim Hall that is very informative.
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03-21-2009, 06:44 PM
#10
if you run into anything that you get hung up on, just let me know. some of his "britishisms" take some getting used to and in some cases he was using an odd term to describe something conventional.