A car’s suspension absorbs shocks as well as pushes the wheels to the ground whenever they lift up after a road or speed bump. This is an essential part of every vehicle and is usually comprised of shock absorbers, springs, tire (as well as tire air), and the linkages that connect the body of the car to the wheels. If all of the car suspension parts did not exist, then it would be impossible to discuss road handling or ride quality. However, at times people have a tendency to overlook how important a car’s suspension system really is. If you need shock absorbers from Koni please see here.
Even Victorian-era carriages had a suspension-like system, and everyone knows how rough the ride can be in them. Now just imaging having the same ride in your car, but going at much higher speeds than a pair of horses is capable of. Without a modern suspension system, you would be guaranteed to have a bumpy and bone-breaking ride each time you sat behind the wheel and set out on the road. Also, driving would be very dangerous. Just think what could happen when you took a sharp turn: it would result in the inside wheels lifting up off of the ground, which could result in a side roll or worse.
We often recognize the words that relate to suspension instead of actually understanding what they really mean. We expect a much more comfortable and smoother suspension on luxury cars, and we want something that provides more performance with sports cars. There are some high-end cars that allow you to switch between different suspension modes, so the driver can simply turn a dial to choose between sport and comfort modes, which is very convenient.
Performance options
Without delving too far into all of the nitty-gritty details of the numerous mechanical components that are part of a car’s suspension, having a performance suspension can really make a significant difference in the driving quality of a car. That can be bad or good, depending on what you would like to get out of your vehicle. A sporty suspension is sometimes stiffer or tighter. That is because the car’s suspension mechanism has less play, and is not as able to absorb the impact of the road’s dips and bumps.
Comfort suspensions
As implied by the name, and typically reflected by the mode, a comfort suspension is actually more comfortable. There is more flexibility in mechanisms like the dampers and springs, which allows the suspension of the car to absorb as much of the imperfections as possible in the road. However, with a comfort suspension, you feel the weight of your car as you corner a lot more than you do with a stiffer type of suspension.
Choosing the right one
Choosing the right suspension for your car really comes down to what you are trying to get out of your vehicle. If a sportier driving experience is what you prefer, then the right choice for you may be a car that has a harder suspension. If luxury is what you are after, then you will prefer a comfort suspension. Fortunately, many cars have started offering multiple options that can be switched between by just pressing a button or turning a knob to give you the best of both worlds without a lot of compromises.
It is not necessary to understand every mechanical component that is part of the suspension system in order to understand the key differences between them. If you have ever driven a car with a very hard or soft suspension setup, there is a good chance that you are aware of just how much of a difference there can be between these highly underrated mechanical components.