Conventional Systems

Abstract

Less than fifty years ago the beam axle suspended on semi-elliptic springs was the norm at both ends of the automobile. There were a few exceptions. Sizaire-Naudin used a sliding pillar independent suspension at the front as early as 1906 and a few years later the Morgan three-wheeler and the Lancia Lambda appeared with refined examples of the basic design. Even so, these were regarded as rather expensive eccentricities and did little to convince the bulk of automobile manufacturers that the simple rigid front axle mounted on leaf springs, and the much heavier rear axle casing with similar springs, were not a final solution to the problem of springing. All that was needed, or so it seemed, was a measure of refinement and a gradual reduction in the manufacturing costs.