Suspension Flashcards
What is the job of the suspension ?
The suspension lets the wheels move up and down to absorb small bumps while keeping the tires in contact with the ground for better control.
What are the two essential parts of the suspension ?
- A Spring
- A Damper
They are collectively known as a shock absorber.
What does the spring do ?
Allows the suspension to move up and to quickly move back down after a wheel passes the bump.
What can the spring be made of ?
It can be a coil of steel or a cylinder of pressurized air.
What would happen if the suspension consisted of only a spring ?
It would bounce up and down several times after each bump.
What does a damper do ?
it dissipates the energy that is stored in the spring and as a result stops the suspension bouncing up and down out of control.
What is the most common type of damper ?
Oil-filled
How does an oil-filled damper work ?
When the shock absorber is compressed, a piston forces oil to pass through a small hole called an orifice.
what is the energy stored in the spring converted into in an oil-filled damper ?
It takes energy to force the fluid out of the orifice, which transfers the energy into heat in the oil.
When a shock absorber compresses faster, a greater volume of fluid has to flow through the orifice, which increases the resistance. What does this do ?
- Increases the stiffness of the suspension
2. More energy is dissipated
How do you make the perfect suspension ?
A balance between the spring rate (stiffness) and the damping.
How do you alter the spring rates and damping ?
By increasing or decreasing the air pressure
What is the most common form of front wheel suspension ?
A suspension fork
How does a suspension fork work ?
the bottom part of the fork (which holds the wheel) fits over the top part of the fork. Inside each tube is a shock absorber.
What is a rear suspension made from ?
A large coil spring. The design is often different for each bike.
