Hardcore off-roaders and Jeep fans swear by the solid axle. They say the durability, articulation, and simplicity of a live-axle setup can't be beat. Yet slowly, the solid front axle has died out. Aside from the Wrangler, no new passenger vehicle is sold in the U.S. today with a solid front axle. And now we know the new Ford Bronco won't change that.
The Bronco instead opts for an independent front suspension, like pretty much every other truck or SUV out there. It's easy to see why: Independent front suspension gives you more wheel control, reduces unsprung weight, and increases steering precision.
Ford
But the new Bronco isn't just about about the on-road experience. And independent front suspension has some drawbacks for off-roaders. Most IFS designs offer less suspension travel than a solid axle, making it harder to maintain traction on uneven surfaces and keep all four wheels on the ground
According to Gavin McGee, a vehicle dynamics engineer for the Bronco, Ford considered a solid front axle. But beyond the fact that the increased unsprung weight tends to make for an uncomfortable ride, there were other dynamic concerns. A big one is wheel control, which suffers on a live-axle vehicle. Because both wheels are tied together, a bump on one side affects the other. That creates a wobbly ride, especially at speed, as the suspension can't keep up with cascading impacts. On high-speed washboard surfaces or desert conditions, independent suspension allows for greater control.
Perhaps more importantly, independent front suspension allows for more precise, responsive steering. Solid-axle vehicles mostly use recirculating ball steering systems, an ancient design. Independent suspension allows for more modern steering systems, which should help give the Bronco better high speed behavior than the Wrangler, and more precise steering feedback at all speeds.
Lastly, McGee says Ford has mitigated a lot of the off-road compromises of independent front suspension. One of the key things that reduces the flexibility of an independent suspension setup is the stabilizer bar, which links the two front wheels together to reduce body roll. The Bronco has an available electronic disconnect on its front stabilizer bar, allowing way more travel—on an RTI ramp, which measures a 4x4's suspension flex, a Bronco Badlands goes from a score of 560 with the stabilizer bar connected to 700 when disconnected.
Finally, while independent suspension used to mean limited wheel travel, Ford says the Bronco's suspension has 17 percent more travel than the Wrangler. You can also get Bilstein position-sensitive dampers on every trim of the Bronco, which get stiffer toward the top end of their travel. That means more on-road comfort around town with better composure in challenging high-speed terrain. Combined with the inherent advantages of independent front suspension, the new Bronco should easily feel more refined and stable than the Wrangler, especially in the on-road driving where most owners spend the majority of their time.
This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io
"front" - Google News
July 14, 2020 at 07:16AM
https://ift.tt/32gxC4j
Why the 2021 Ford Bronco Has Independent Front Suspension - RoadandTrack.com
"front" - Google News
https://ift.tt/3aZh1mr
https://ift.tt/3b2xvu5
No comments:
Post a Comment