Suspension system is an important part of a modern car, which has a great influence on the ride comfort and handling stability of the car. As the guiding and force-transmitting element of the automobile suspension system, the automobile control arm (Control arm, also known as the swing arm) transmits various forces acting on the wheels to the body, and at the same time ensures that the wheels move according to a certain trajectory. The control arm of the car elastically connects the wheel and the body of the car through a ball joint or a bush respectively. The automobile control arm (including the bushing and ball head connected to it) should have sufficient rigidity, strength and service life. This article introduces the structure and characteristics of commonly used automotive control arms.
Automobile control arm spherical joint assembly structure
First, two common structural forms of automotive control arm spherical joint assemblies are introduced. Figure 1, Figure 2.
The structure of the car control arm
- Horizontal stabilizer bar link
When the suspension is installed, one end of the stabilizer bar link is connected to the stabilizer bar through a rubber bush, and the other end is connected to the control arm or the barrel shock absorber through a rubber bush or a ball joint. The link of the stabilizer bar is symmetrical in the selection Use, which enhances the role of operational stability.
The mechanism diagrams of the two kinds of stabilizer bar linkages are shown in Figure 3 and Figure 4. Figure 3 shows the double bushing stabilizer bar linkage. Figure 4 is a double ball joint rod connecting rod.
- Tie rod
When the suspension is installed, the rubber bush at one end of the tie rod is connected with the frame or body, and the rubber bush at the other end is connected with the wheel hub. This type of control arm is mostly used in the multi-link suspension of the car and the tie rod of the steering system, which mainly bears the lateral load and guides the movement of the wheel at the same time.
The structures of the two transverse tie rods are shown in the figure below. Fig. 5 is a non-adjustable transverse tie rod, and Fig. 6 is an adjustable transverse tie rod.
- Longitudinal tie rod
Trailing rods are mostly used in drag suspensions to transmit traction and braking forces. Fig. 7 is a structural diagram of the longitudinal tie rod. The arm body 2 is formed by stamping. The rubber bushing 1, 3, 4 outer tube is welded together with the arm body 2. The rubber bushing 1 is installed on the stress-bearing part in the middle of the vehicle body, the rubber bushing 4 is connected with the wheel hub, and the rubber bushing 3 is installed at the lower end of the shock absorber to play the role of support and shock absorption.
- Single control arm
This type of automotive control arm is mostly used in multi-link suspension, and two single control arms are used together to transmit lateral and longitudinal loads from the wheels.
Fig. 8 is a structural diagram of a structural top suspension control arm. The arm body 2 is a forged aluminum piece. The rubber bushing 1 and the arm body 2 are tightly fitted when assembled, so there is no relative movement between the rubber bushing 1 and the arm body 2 . The ball hinge assembly 3 is a ball seat embedded aluminum plate type, and the assembly mode of the ball seat and the arm body 2 is embedded.
Fig. 9 is another structural form of an automobile control arm, also called a support arm.
- Fork (V) shaped arm
Fig. 10 and Fig. 11 are structural diagrams of two kinds of V-shaped arms. This type of automobile control arm is mostly used for the upper and lower arms of the double-wishbone independent suspension or the lower arm of the McPherson suspension. The fork-shaped structure of the arm body mainly transmits lateral loads.
Structure and Features of Automobile Control Arm(2)
- Triangular arm
This type of automobile control arm is mostly used for the lower arm of the front suspension McPherson suspension, which is used to transmit lateral and longitudinal loads and control the relative movement of the wheels and the body.
Fig. 12 and Fig. 13 are structural diagrams of two kinds of triangular arms. Figure 12 is a triangle arm with double bushes and a single ball hinge, and Figure 13 is a triangle arm with a single bush and a double ball hinge.
