This semicomplete package can be adapted to most macpherson strut suspension systems. In this setup, the front wheels are allowed to move independently. Most of you have seen this sort of strut many times and are very familiar with it. The macpherson strut is mounted between the steering knuckle and body fig. Destination page number search scope search text search scope search text. Macpherson strut suspension is a simple independent suspension design used by just about every mainstream car maker in the world, normally for front wheels. Within those books, an assumption was made that the roll center of a suspension system was fixed along a. The macpherson strut is a further development of the double wishbone suspension. Double wishbones are usually considered to have superior dynamic characteristics as well as loadhandling capabilities, and are often found on higher performance vehicles. The quality of this suspension depends in part on low friction in the shock absorber. Its based around a basic triangular design in two parts. All too often you will see a car that has had literally tens of thousands of pounds spent on a highpower engine and braking set up, only to find that the suspension received a fraction of the budget and is often seen as an inconvenience. Optimization on mac pherson suspensions with a spring. Just because a car has double wishbone suspension doesnt mean its going to be good round corners.
I explore this question, and show you the benefits and down sides of a macpherson strut suspension. Forged construction, acme threaded rod, and builtin detent pins included to help lock the coil in place. The bar has been raised with the release of our extremely lightweight 144 lb. Topology based optimization of suspension and steering. Install the strut in the compressor j340b, then install the compressor adapters, if used. Many production cars especially if they have frontdrive use the macpherson strut suspension.
Dual axis strut suspension picture book honda global. The macpherson strut also defines modern steering geometry. Griggs racing chassis systems provide immensely increased launch and high speed stability over any other kind of system due to the design geometry. Tech a says that camber cant be adjusted on a macpherson strut. Design characteristics of mcpherson suspensions 973067 the macpherson strut is an excellent solution for front wheel drive suspensions that has been used worldwide by car manufacturers. The strut insert is provided with a blank upperstem that can be machined down to fit a. The rear changed from a simple trailing arm per side to a more complex zlink rear suspension anchored by a large. The type of suspension macpherson strut or double wishbone suspension. Tech b says that the strut on the side that camber changes the most may be bent.
The front suspension on frontwheel drive cars plays two roles. Macpherson strut suspension simple explanation youtube. Single aarm suspension, singlewishbone suspension, or macpherson strut suspension are all accurate names for the parts discussed in this chapter. The macpherson strut is the dominating suspension design used for front wheel applications. Ive just noticed that this is your first post so welcome to the forum apart from what i said if you also run very strong springsarb this will control camber change but of course will only be a compromise and you will loose traction but if the rules allow there are other ways.
This type of independent suspension got its name from earle s. You can return the item for any reason in new and unused condition. The macpherson strut is a type of automotive suspension system that uses the top of a telescopic damper as the upper steering pivot. Camber on a macpherson strut car page 1 lemons tech. It is widely used in the front suspension of modern vehicles and is named for american automotive engineer earle s. Preorder a copy of car suspension a book by julian spender owner. A macpherson strut uses a wishbone, or a substantial compression link stabilized by a secondary link, which provides a bottom mounting point for the hub carrier or axle of the wheel. The reason for this is macpherson strut suspension doesnt have an upper arm, the geometrical equivalent of the upper arm is the top mount. The mcpherson strut takes over the tasks of a steering rod and serves simultaneously for suspension and vibration damping. Besides the advantages of this suspension it presents many difficulties due to the characteristic of being a bending structure. Mount the compressor tool j340b in the holder j328920. The tilt of the strut is part of the sai and caster angle. Macpherson strut in the following pitcures it is possible to compare a real macpherson strut and the model used in simulations.
Macpherson the guy who designed the chevrolet cadet that never came to market. Macpherson of general motors in 1947, is the most widely used front suspension system, especially in cars of european origin. The material for this story was provided by steve smith, whose book building the mustang ministock addresses the issues of the macpherson strut suspension. Introduction suspension is the system of tires, tire air, springs, absorbers, and linkages that connects a vehicle to its wheel and allows relative motion between the two. Clips are factorywelded 158 4 tubing with plenty of space for talldeck engines with largediameter headers, easy engine removal and completely accessible oil pan. The main advantage of the the macpherson is that all the parts providing the suspension and the wheel control can be combined into the one. On turbo cars with the adjustable suspension, remove the 3 outer bolts that attach the top of the strut to the car. The hardpoints control the static settings and the kinematics of the suspension. Front mac pherson suspensions are widely used by the car manufacturers. Aluminum strut package, stud mount externally adjustable, heavy duty brake kit for hub mount wheels. Also supports iso 8855 and sae j670e coordinate formats.
The macpherson strut combines a shock absorber and a coil spring into a single. In a practical and downtoearth way, it covers the fundamentals of how race cars handle and the requirements for designing and constructing a car. This is an externallymounted kit that locks onto the coils of your spring. The macpherson strut is a type of car suspension system commonly used in many modern motor vehicles. Drag race use only for hub mount wheelschoice of 4 12. There is no doubt in the world of aftermarket tuning and club motorsport, that suspension geometry is one of the most overlooked factors. Brakes 158 mild steel rails chassis engineering offers a mild steel, round tube, strut sub frame kit. What this means is the typical roll center location of a welldesigned macpherson strut suspension is just above ground level. Most of them have the aarm on the bottom with a fixed topmount for the strut shock and spring unit. My macpherson strut cad model with animation on solidowrks. Consequently, the suspension arm must be supported with a floor jack or jack stands strong enough to support the vehicle s weight before the strut is removed to counteract the pressure applied by the spring.
Free returns are available for the shipping address you chose. The oemtools macpherson strut spring compressor kit is our pick for the best overall strut spring compressor for 2020. It also allows for repairs on bent struts, strut tubes and damaged pieces. Strut macpherson strut assembly repair guide autozone. Cut away socket for removing the upper strut nut before servicing the vehicle, refer to the precautions section. What is a macpherson strut suspension and how does it work. There are many flavours of double wishbone suspension, some good and some bad. This includes both front and rear suspensions, but usually located at the front of the car. What is macpherson strut suspension and why is it so popular.
Figure 17 antiroll bar connection to doublewishbone suspension 54. Likewise even a car with a good design of double wishbone suspension wont necessarily be faster than a welldesigned macpherson strut set up. In other, more complex applications, the strut suspension might combine the features of both the macpherson strut and shortlong arm sla suspension systems to make the system more durable. This is particularly important with regard to macpherson strut suspension. Hondas dual axis strut suspension separates knuckles and dampers. The front suspension was basically carried over from the e30 3series models, using a single boomerangshaped control arm and macpherson strut. I refer to them throughout this book as single aarm suspensions. First, 90 percent of the setup on a strut car is the same as any car. The main functions of the automotive suspension system are to provide vehicle support, stability and directional. Among all the solutions proposed up today, none are giving full satisfaction.
The macpherson strut version of the original suspension calculator with the same easy to use drag and drop interface. We havent added camber plates on the top of strut, all we did was use the eliptical camber bolts. The spring is then removed from the strut at the workbench. The design uses a lower aarm and the springshock absorber.
Mcpherson suspension geometry tentenths motorsport forum. Macpherson front strut replacement macpherson struts are removed as an assembly with the spring. Each strut is supplied with a matched external housing that permits the builder to fabricate weld tabs for mounting the unit to a vehicles lower steering knuckle. Camber matters optimizing track performance for strut. The macpherson suspension, used as front suspension on the car model, includes the lower arm, the shock absorber body and rod, the steering arm and a chassis to fix properly all the components. The suspension setup for a strutequipped car is very much like that of a double wishbone aarm suspension. A macpherson strut compressor tool j340b or the equivalent must be used. Cta tools 4037 heavyduty macpherson strut spring compressor is designed to compresses the coil spring so the shock absorber unit or spring can be replaced. This lower arm system provides both lateral and longitudinal loc.
Macpherson strut is set up is still popular in high performance passengers cars. The book includes chapters on chassis design, suspension design, frame construction, aerodynamics and tuning. Ministock suspension taming the macpherson suspension. I stole this cute picture from tein suspension, the strut on the left is a conventional macpherson strut and as you can see it is like a giant shock absorber with a body, a piston and a shaft with the shaft attaching to the body in the shock tower. Macpherson strut suspension systems typically utilize either a steering knuckle or a hub carrier that has two mounting points that attach it to the body of the vehicle.
As soon as you have removed the wheels, examine the various bolts holding the strut in place, or holding things to the strut, and apply or reapply penetrating oil to any that are rusty. Macpherson struts refer to a particular form of independent suspension on the front axle of a car. Macpherson and pseudo macpherson suspension car engineer. This is because in many rear strut systems and all modified macpherson strut systems the spring is not part of the strut assembly, but is mounted separately on the suspension arm. Like double wishbones suspension, macpherson strut can be adopted in both front and rear wheels. Autocross if you are a cone head, you need a car that has crisp and precise handling performance. When the suspension is worked up and down on a vehicle equipped with a macpherson strut type suspension, the camber spec changes more on one side than the other. The lower mounting point attaches to a track control arm or lower control arm, and it is this connection that dictates both the longitudinal and lateral orientation of the wheel assembly.
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