Springs

Abstract

The degree of discomfort we are prepared to accept from an automobile suspension depends largely on the vehicle and its purpose. A racing driver will endure vibrations that blur his vision and vertical accelerations that jar his spine, yet he only mentions such things to the team manager if he has noticed a subtle change from the norm, since such a change could indicate a flat spot on a tyre or an impending transmission failure. This same driver, however, will complain that his new sports car has a hard ride, even though by comparison with his racing car the sports car gives a ride like a feather-bed. In a sports car most drivers will accept a relatively hard ride as a necessary adjunct to precise high-speed handling and safe fast cornering. In a large saloon a similar ride would be considered intolerable.