For comfortable driving on uneven roads, an elastic connection between the wheels and the car body is necessary. One way to ensure such a connection is to use a torsion bar suspension. It is actively used in the automotive industry due to its compactness, simplicity of design and high reliability.

Torsion bar suspension - what is it?

The torsion bar is a shaft made of special spring steel, thermally treated. The alloy is subject to very stringent requirements. It must withstand prolonged loads without losing its original properties. The reliability and durability of the suspension as a whole depends on this. To reduce the negative impact of the external environment, the torsion bar is coated with an anti-corrosion compound and paint. The shafts that are coated with a rubberized compound are most protected from rust.

When a car overcomes uneven surfaces, the torsion bars work to twist in one direction. Depending on the design features they are:

• round;
• square;
• rectangular;
• assembled from several layers of metal.

The ends of the torsion bar are rigidly attached to:

• support arm;
• body or frame of the car (depending on the design).

Fixation occurs through slots. Fastening to the body can be realized using a profile other than round. For normal suspension operation, the rotation axis of the lever and the torsion bar axis must lie on the same line.

Torsional resistance is calculated so that the torsion bar supports the weight of the car, but at the same time allows the arm to move, providing an elastic connection between the wheels and the body. The stiffness of the suspension is affected by the shape, elasticity of the alloy, length and other performance characteristics of the torsion bar.

Design and principle of operation

The picture below shows torsion bar suspension, the operating principle of which is to protect the car body from excessive loads transmitted from the wheels by damping them with a spring shaft. While the car is overcoming a bump road surface The torsion bar twists, providing maximum smoothness. Upon completion of moving through the obstacle, the torsion bar returns to its original position.

The load is evenly distributed throughout the mechanism. According to the principle of operation, it is similar to a spring - but at the same time, the torsion bar demonstrates better efficiency.

The torsion bar suspension design involves constant availability torsional stress on the elastic shaft during the action of lifting and lowering forces on the wheel. Therefore, the absence of deformation changes in the torsion bar is the main requirement for the product.

Types of pendants

There are 2 options for the location of torsion bars:

• transverse;
• longitudinally

The transverse arrangement of the torsion shaft has found its application in passenger transport. Typically this type of suspension is used in cars with rear wheel drive. Its peculiarity is the placement of shafts along the car body.

Longitudinal torsion bars are used on large, heavy trucks. There have been attempts to use them in passenger vehicles, but this practice has not become widespread.

On this moment In the automotive industry, suspensions of 3 main designs are used:

1. The front is independent using transverse shafts.
2. The rear is independent with transverse torsion bars.
3. Semi-independent rear.

Front independent

The front independent torsion bar suspension includes the following elements:

• Longitudinal torsion bar. Provides high smoothness.
• Lever arm. Transmits force and causes twisting of the torsion bar.
• Shock absorber. Serves to dampen vibrations that occur in the vehicle's chassis.
• Stabilizer lateral stability. Minimizes car body roll while driving. Improves car handling.

Front independent torsion bar suspension is used on heavy SUVs. This frees up space for powerful wheel drive.

Rear independent

Transverse torsion bars rear suspension are installed in pairs with trailing arms. An example of the design is shown in the image below.

An interesting example of a car with transverse torsion shafts and trailing arms is the Renault 16. The car has different wheelbase right and left. The distance between the front and rear wheels on the right and left differs by several centimeters. The reason for this engineering solution is the sequential arrangement of the shafts one after the other. This slightly worsened the car's handling, but made it possible to increase the luggage compartment.

Semi-independent rear

At the heart of the suspension of this type lies torsion beam, which is U-shaped. Trailing arms located one on each side. The beam connects them together. The levers are attached with one side to the body, and the other to the wheel hub.

The beam resists bending well. At the same time, its shape does not prevent it from curling at all. The wheels may move slightly in the vertical plane relative to each other. The location of the torsion beam can be seen in the figure below.

Semi independent suspension used in budget cars with front-wheel drive. This is due to the simplicity of the design and low price of such machines.

Pros and cons of using torsion bars

Torsion bar suspension has its advantages and disadvantages. The advantages of torsion bar suspension are:

• smooth running of the car;
• the ability to adjust the height, making it easy to change the ground clearance;
• compactness and simplicity;
• good maintainability;
• reliability.

The disadvantages of torsion bar suspension are:

• a large dependence of suspension stiffness on the quality of torsion bars;
• the complexity of manufacturing elastic shafts;
• Driving a car is difficult - turning is too easy.

Conclusion

Torsion bar suspension is actively used in heavy equipment, SUVs, and also in cars. budget segment. Its simplicity, reliability, durability and excellent other performance characteristics made it possible to use it on vehicles that do not require good handling high speed, since, unfortunately, the suspension is not at all suitable for sporty, dynamic driving of this type.

It differs from the classic spring one in that instead of springs, torsion bars are used in its design. extremely simple and at the same time effective. A torsion bar is an elastic shaft, one side of which is rigidly fixed to or, and the other side is connected to the wheel hub. In the case of a front-wheel drive car, the torsion bar is mounted on the lower wishbone.

Types and design of torsion bar suspension

In cars with front-wheel drive and transverse suspension arms, torsion bars are attached along the body. In the case of trailing arms, the torsion bars are secured accordingly across the car body.

The most common example of torsion bar suspension is the rear semi-independent suspension. passenger cars with front-wheel drive. This suspension consists of two trailing arms that are connected to each other U-beam. The connecting beam, due to its design, has the ability to work in torsion and allows the wheels to handle irregularities independently of each other.

The principle of operation of torsion bar suspension

Due to the fact that the torsion shaft is rigidly fixed to the body or frame of the car, when the suspension operates, it is subject to torsional forces. However, the torsion shaft is made of a special alloy and has a certain hardening, which allows it to work as a spring element. When twisted, the shaft tends to return to its original position. The operating principle is similar to a spring or sprung suspension.

Advantages of torsion bars

Despite the fact that the operating principles of torsion bar and spring suspensions are practically the same, torsion bar shafts have several advantages over springs or leaf springs:

• simple and compact suspension device;
• ease of repair and maintenance;
• possibility of adjusting suspension stiffness.

Torsion shafts take up very little space, which allows you to make the suspension as compact as possible. Service and self-service torsion bar suspension repair don't cause any trouble. Replacing one of the torsion bars is done with much less labor than replacing springs.

It is also worth paying attention that the torsion bar suspension can adjustable for hardness, which the classic spring does not allow. On some cars, suspension stiffness is adjusted automatically or manually remotely using electric motors that regulate the preload of the torsion bars.

A torsion beam is a type of suspension in which a torsion bar plays the role of an elastic element. A torsion bar is a metal elastic element that works to twist. This element, as a rule, consists of a set of rods, plates or beams of a certain section. The torsion bar is attached at one end to the guide element -, and at the other - to the frame or body of the car. Thanks to the torsion bar, an elastic connection is achieved between the body and the wheel. Torsion bars are used in various types suspensions: trailing arms, double wishbones, and so on. A similar principle has found application in the design of a torsion beam (suspension with interconnected levers of the right and left wheels). Due to the strong connection between the wheels greatest distribution design found in the rear suspension front wheel drive cars. Today we can safely say that the suspension rear wheels based on a torsion beam - the most common design.

A torsion beam is a hollow steel part of complex configuration, rigid in bending, but flexible in torsion. This allows the wheels to move up and down independently of each other. A torsion beam is usually attached to the body. The rigidity of the beam itself in the transverse direction should ensure a constant distance between the wheels. Additional elastic elements in torsion beam suspensions are most often springs.

History of the creation and development of torsion bar design

The prototype of the current beam is a torsion bar - a device that was first used in the 30s of the twentieth century. Later, the torsion bar suspension was improved by the Czech professor Ledvinka and the German inventor Ferdinand Porsche, who first adapted it for mass production.

Quite widely used in small cars Torsion bars were received in the 50-60s of the last century. The reason for the interest in the device is the relative ease of manufacture and compactness of these elements. Longitudinal swing arms were attached to the ends of the torsion bar, which were connected to swivel fist using ball joints or a pivot assembly.

On the Zaporozhets car, two torsion bars with a square cross-section were used as the front suspension, which were enclosed in steel pipes located one above the other; trailing arms of the suspension were attached to the ends of the pipes. The author of this design was still the same.

The design and principle of operation of a torsion beam

The guiding device of the torsion beam suspension is two trailing arms, which are rigidly connected to each other by a beam. On one side, the trailing arms are attached to the wheel hubs, and on the other, to the body. The torsion beam has a U-shaped cross-section, due to which it has low torsional rigidity and high bending rigidity. This property allows the wheels to move up and down independently of each other.

On modern cars The torsion beam can be located transversely or longitudinally. The transverse arrangement is used on passenger cars. And the longitudinal layout is characteristic mainly of large and heavy trucks. In both versions, the torsion bar suspension provides optimal damping values ​​for the wheels and body, ensures a smooth ride and regulates roll when turning.

On some vehicles, torsion bar suspension can be used together. Depending on the condition of the road surface and the speed of movement, this electric motor tightens the beams to obtain the required rigidity.

Pros and cons of torsion beam

The main advantages of torsion bar suspensions in general are the compactness of the width of the car and ease of height adjustment ground clearance, low overall weight and, of course, durability. Torsion bar suspensions are very easy to install maintenance and operation. Such pendants are much easier to adjust than spring ones. From the manufacturers' point of view: the torsion beam is cheap to manufacture and easy to install on the car on assembly lines.

One of the most significant disadvantages: additional vibrations transmitted from the wheels to the body, contributing to low passenger comfort rear seats. And as a result, which negatively affects long-distance travel.

Operational issues

If the torsion bar suspension on a car is loose, you can adjust its position using a simple wrench. To do this, you need to climb under the car and tighten the loose bolts. The main thing is not to overdo it, because overtightened bolts will cause excessive roughness when the car is moving.

Good afternoon. Today we will talk about one of the types of suspension. There are several types of suspensions: pneumatic, spring, spring, but today we will talk about torsion bar suspension. Did you know that this model of suspension was developed for tanks and is used in armored vehicles to this day? And only over time it was modified and installed on cars and SUVs. On what principle does this suspension work, and what are its pros and cons? Let's try to figure it out.

1. History of the creation and development of torsion bar structure

It is generally accepted that the first torsion bar suspension installed on the car by the Germans in the 30s of the last century on Volkswagen Beetle. But this is not so, the French were ahead of them and for the first time installed a suspension model of this type on Citroen car Traction Avant, and this was in 1934. The American company Chrysler most successfully used torsion bars in suspension. And in the Soviet Union, torsion bar suspensions were installed on ZIL and LuAZ cars, as well as Zaporozhets.

The Czech professor Ledvinka was involved in improving the suspension, and already in 1938, a similarity of his torsion bar suspension began to be widely used in the KdF-Wagen car company Ferdinand Porsche. The German inventor liked the light weight of the suspension most of all. He understood how important this moment is in construction military equipment And. And this advantage of the suspension is relevant today. This is confirmed by the use of torsion bar suspension in brands such as Ferrari and Toyota Landcruiser.

During World War II, torsion bar suspension was used in armored vehicles, namely in German and Soviet tanks. The most famous German tanks that had a torsion bar suspension model were the KV-1 and Pz. V "Panther". And after the end of the war, torsion bar suspensions were used by the majority European manufacturers auto. The peak use of torsion bar suspensions was the 50-60s. Attention was drawn to the simplicity of manufacturing the device and its compactness. In 1961, a torsion beam was first used on the front suspension. The car on which they decided to conduct the experiment was Jaguar E-Type. Over time, manufacturers abandoned this type of suspension, as it became unprofitable. But some manufacturers, for example, Ford, Dodge, General Motors, Mitsubishi Pajero, still prefer to install torsion bar suspension on their SUVs and trucks.

Developers around the world are working hard to improve torsion bar suspension and reduce its cost. Actively connected to the process modern equipment and the latest computer programs. Some experts even say that in a few years the torsion bar suspension will overtake its competitors in popularity. But most manufacturers do not yet use torsion bar suspensions on a large scale in the manufacture of cars. In any case, there is hope that the trend will change for the better. After all, a torsion bar suspension is a unique development worthy of special attention.

2. Design and principle of operation of a torsion beam

- this is a type of suspension in which torsion bars play the role of the working element. A torsion bar is a metal working element that works to twist. It usually consists of metal rods, or less commonly plates, of round or square cross-section, which work together to twist. In a car, torsion bars can be used as an elastic element, or as auxiliary device– anti-roll bar. Fixed to the hub assembly of the left wheel, the anti-roll bar goes to the hinge unit in the form of a rubber-metal hinge.

Next to the parallel side of the car in the transverse direction, where it is attached to the other side in a mirror position. The role of levers when the suspension operates in the vertical direction is performed by sections of torsion bars. In modern cars, a torsion beam can be used transversely or longitudinally. In this case, a transverse beam is used on passenger cars. And the longitudinal one is more suitable for trucks. In both cases, it is designed to facilitate a smooth ride and correct roll when turning. On modern models torsion beam is used with an electric motor when leveling in automatic mode. A suspension that can adjust the wheel height can be used when changing a wheel. In this case, three wheels lift the car, and the fourth wheel is lifted without the help of a jack.

The operating principle of this suspension is quite simple. The ends of the torsion beam are rigidly fixed to the frame or body of the car. The metal from which it is made has a special alloy and this allows it to work as a spring element. During movement, a twisting force acts on it and the shaft strives to return the wheel to its place. If the shaft is installed in a car together with an additional electric motor, then the driver has the opportunity to manual mode change the stiffness of the suspension. We can say that the principle of operation of this suspension is similar to that of a sprung and spring suspension.

3. Pros and cons of a torsion beam

Since its creation, the torsion beam has gone through many stages of modification. At the same time, it has been improved positive traits and whenever possible, shortcomings were eliminated. But it is impossible to remove all the shortcomings. Let's look at all the pros and cons of a modern torsion bar suspension. And so let's start with the tasks that the suspension must perform:

1. ensure smooth running of the car;

2. wheel stabilization;

3. adjustment of the roll angle when cornering;

4. vibration absorption of wheels and frame.

TO benefits torsion bar suspension we can include:

1. The pendant is very easy to use. It is very simple and makes it easy to repair the suspension. At the same time, even a novice car enthusiast can carry out repairs.

2. The stiffness adjustment is very simple and clear. This allows the car enthusiast to independently increase the stiffness of the suspension and increase the torsion bars to suit his driving style.

3. Compared to other types of suspensions, it is very light in weight and is compactly placed under the car body.

4. Not all cars have the ability to automatically influence the suspension, but manufacturers are trying to add this option to new models. And this is understandable, because it is much more convenient to adjust the stiffness and height of the suspension by pressing a button from inside the car.

5. The most pleasant advantage of this suspension for the motorist is its durability. The entire structure and torsion bars are capable of serving the entire period of operation without visible problems. And if the suspension has lost its former rigidity, then a wrench will help correct the situation.

This pendant also has a number of shortcomings, namely:

1. One of the most big problems torsion bar suspension, which manufacturers still cannot solve is the car’s oversteer. At a sharp turn, the car begins to turn and certain skills are required from the driver to keep it on the road. Domestic motorists could have encountered this problem while driving Zaporozhets.

2. Another disadvantage is additional vibrations, which are transferred from the wheels to the body with the help of the suspension. This contributes to poor rear seat passenger comfort. It is also impossible to make high-quality sound insulation.

3. A disadvantage of the torsion shaft is also the presence of needle bearings. They have a limited mileage of about 60-70 thousand. km. And this obliges drivers to look under the bottom of the car more often. The bearings are protected by rubber seals and gaskets, but due to exposure to aggressive environments and aging, the rubber cracks. Water with dust and dirt seeps through them and damages the bearing. In turn, the failed bearing flares seats torsion beam and this changes the wheel shaft.

4. One of the reasons why manufacturers refuse to install torsion bar suspension on their cars is the high cost of manufacturing such a shaft. The fact is that the technology for manufacturing and processing torsion bars is complex. To prevent the appearance of cracks on their surface, it is necessary to use plastic sediment and other technologies. All this increases the cost of the torsion bar suspension, in addition, the maximum load on the shaft itself is not very high.

4. Operation of torsion bar suspension

Although the torsion beam is easy to use, it still requires some repairs. Suspension repair is associated with the following points: adjusting the suspension height, replacing needle bearings, replacing rear beam torsion bars, replacing rear beam pins, repairing rear beam arms.

Adjusting the height of the torsion bar suspension cannot be considered as a full-fledged repair. Most often this is done by drivers who practice a sporty driving style. They need to lift back car. Also, changing the suspension height makes sense when the suspension stiffness increases and the vehicle settles less when maximum load. But it should be remembered that then the torsion bar operates in more aggressive conditions and this will most likely affect its service life.

If the torsion beam itself is being repaired, then the torsion bars will probably need to be dismantled. In this case, it is necessary to accurately mark the position of the torsion bar on the beam so that during installation it is clear where to insert it. To dismantle the torsion bar, namely remove it from the spline connection, you will need special tool, inertial renter. You may have to clean the threads of the spline connection on which the torsion bar fits; for this, stock up on a tap. Quite often, these same spline connections, as they say, “sour”, and then removing the torsion bar becomes a problem and the inertial puller does not help. In this case, a regular sledgehammer will help out.

The most frequent moment Repairing a torsion beam involves replacing worn needle bearings. To replace them, you need to remove the torsion bar and rear beam arms. There are two bearings on each side. The most dangerous thing is that it is impossible to determine whether the bearing has failed on your own. And exploitation faulty bearing leads to axle wear. Replacing the axis itself is possible, but very difficult at home. Therefore, manufacturers urge drivers to monitor the operation of the bearing and replace it on time, this will save your money and time. Repairing the rear beam arm is even more difficult. It fails for the same reasons as the rear beam pin, but its repair is carried out on a boring and turning machine. And here the problem becomes search necessary equipment and masters.

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A torsion bar is a metal elastic element that works to twist. As a rule, this is a round metal rod with spline connection at the ends. A torsion bar can consist of a set of plates, rods, or beams of a certain section. Structurally, the torsion bar is attached at one end to the body or frame of the car, and at the other to the guide element - the lever. When the wheels move, the torsion bar twists, thereby achieving an elastic connection between the wheel and the body. A feature of torsion bars is that they rotate in only one direction - in the direction of twisting. Another feature is that the torsion bar can be used to adjust the height of the body. Torsion bars are used in various types of independent suspensions: on double wishbones, on trailing arms, with linked trailing arms (torsion beam).

In a torsion bar suspension with double wishbones, the torsion bars are located parallel to the body, due to which their length and, accordingly, elastic properties can be adjusted within a wide range. One end of the torsion bar is attached to the lower wishbone (less often to the upper arm), the other end to the car frame. This design Torsion bar suspension is used as the front suspension of off-road passenger cars - some models of American and Japanese SUVs. In a torsion bar suspension with trailing arms, the torsion bars are connected to the trailing arms and, accordingly, are located across the body. This torsion bar suspension design is used as the rear suspension of some models of small class passenger cars. A special place in the design of torsion bar suspensions is occupied by the so-called. torsion beam or suspension with linked trailing arms. The guiding device of this suspension is two longitudinal arms, rigidly connected to each other by a beam. The trailing arms are attached to the body on one side and to the wheel hubs on the other. The beam has a U-shaped cross-section, therefore it has high bending rigidity and low torsional rigidity. This property allows the wheels to move up and down independently of each other. The torsion beam is currently widely used as a rear suspension for front-wheel drive small and medium-sized cars. Due to its design, a torsion beam suspension occupies an intermediate position between dependent and independent types of suspensions, which is why its other name is semi-independent suspension.

History of appearance

Torsion bar suspension has been used since the mid-1930s on cars. French brand Citroen. In the 1940s, torsion bars were used on racing cars Porsche. Subsequently, many other automakers used them. For example, Renault, ZIL and Chrysler. The use of torsion bar suspension was primarily due to good performance smooth running and simplicity of design.

Types of torsion bar suspensions

Front independent torsion bar suspension on wishbones The front torsion bar suspension on wishbones (one or two depending on the design) consists of the following elements: A longitudinally located torsion bar that works to twist and replaces the spring. The lower or upper lever that takes the main load, through which force is transmitted to the torsion bar. A damping element is a shock absorber that performs the function of damping vibrations. Anti-roll bar that compensates for body roll when driving. The compactness of the front torsion bar suspension on wishbones allows for efficient use free space . For example, for installing massive wheel drives. In this regard, torsion bars have become widespread in production frame SUVs , combining cross-country ability with soft suspension. For example, Toyota Land Cruiser 100 (torsion bar mount to lower control arm) and Toyota Hilux

Surf (torsion bar on

upper arm ). Torsion bars are also used on the front axle of commercial vehicles. Rear independent suspension with transverse torsion bars In rear suspension designs with longitudinal arms, torsion bars are installed transversely. Legendary French Renault car 16, produced until the 1990s, was equipped with a front suspension with longitudinal torsion bars and a rear suspension with transverse bars. Feature elastic elements

the rear suspension was their location - one was behind the other, which structurally resulted in a difference in the wheelbase on the sides of the car (one of the wheels was several centimeters closer to the front). The car's handling and stability left much to be desired, but it was the compactness of the torsion bar suspension that made it possible to significantly increase the volume

A semi-independent torsion beam with a U-shaped section, which has an integrated elastic rod, becomes more resistant to bending. At the same time, it allows the wheels of one axle to move slightly relative to each other when driving over uneven surfaces. This achieves improved handling and stability of the vehicle. This suspension is used on rear axle most budget front-wheel drive cars.

Advantages of torsion bar suspension

✔ Highly smooth running. ✔ Compact and light weight. ✔ High maintainability. ✔ Simplicity and reliability of design.

Disadvantages of torsion bar suspension

✔ Difficulty in producing torsion bars. ✔ Mediocre vehicle handling. Currently, front independent suspension, where torsion bars are installed as elastic elements, is used in the production of trucks and SUVs not intended for dynamic driving. In addition, torsion bar suspension is successfully used in tank chassis designs and other special purpose vehicles. tracked vehicles.

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