The art of driving on bumpy roads, as you know, can significantly extend the life of a suspension. A good driver scans the road better than a video camera and brakes in time. But what does on time mean? For example, is it possible to brake directly in front of an obstacle? Let’s figure it out.The force exerted on the elastic elements of the suspension depends on a number of factors, and the speed of movement, the load of the vehicle and the topography of the road are of paramount importance here.
For example, if in an average “passenger car” there are five, and the trunk is packed to capacity, and the holes right along the course are a dime a dozen, then the energy capacity reserve of the chassis, in other words, its ability to absorb and distribute impact energy, is noticeably reduced. As soon as a wheel or wheels hit a pothole or hit a speed bump, the suspension can “break through” – the shock absorbers will close to the limiters, and the impact energy will go to the body, shaking the chassis and the entire vehicle crew.
It is clear that you should not “overdo it” with speed on a bumpy road. Although some drivers are convinced of the opposite. They say – give gas, the amplitude of vibration of the suspension will decrease, and the car will slip through a good half of the road irregularities, moving only along their tops. In fact, the principle “more speed – less holes” does not work. The crew, perhaps, will be more comfortable, but the load on the suspension elements in this case seriously increases – after all, the impact is taken by the wheel bearings, steering knuckles, as well as disks and tires. Moreover, the heavier the car and the higher the speed, the more damage is done to the structure.
What will happen if you do not slow down in front of the speed bumps? The impact energy will be transmitted in this case to the silent blocks and suspension arms. Support bearings, shock absorbers and wheel rims will also suffer. Moreover, damage will be done even to the gearbox, since when passing an obstacle under traction, the entire transmission is subject to increased shock loads.
However, many drivers go to the other extreme – having noticed a pit or an uneven joint along the course, they simply hit the brakes before this road marriage, keeping their foot on the brake pedal when driving over irregularities. And again a mistake. After all, what happens with such an algorithm?
When the brake is pressed sharply, the car, figuratively speaking, nods, and the springs and shock absorbers are compressed. If the speed is high, the suspension travel is quickly developed. As a result, when the wheel hits the edges of the pothole, the impact energy is not absorbed, but is transferred to the chassis elements. And these shock loads, of course, are very much felt by the driver and passengers. It is not uncommon for a driver to break through two front wheels in such a situation, discs bend, shock absorbers leak.
What will the cameras on the roads be fined for now?
It turns out that emergency braking in front of the pits, following at high speed, is strictly prohibited? Not certainly in that way. It all depends on the moment at which the driver brakes. Simply put, you need to hit the brakes not directly in front of the obstacle, but before reaching it 5-7 meters. Immediately before a pothole or road bump, remove your foot from the brake and lightly apply the gas. Then the suspension will begin, as the athletes say, to unload, the car will sit on the rear axle, the springs and shock absorbers of the front suspension will unclench and part of the car’s mass will be removed from the “front end” overcoming the obstacle.
Novice drivers should make it a rule to simply release the brake pedal in front of an obstacle. Already this algorithm will significantly reduce the load on the suspension and wheels. Experienced drivers can practice not only the lateral dynamic load, which we described above, but also the longitudinal one. The bottom line is to unload one of the sides of the car. This happens, for example, when the car is moving at high speed in an arc. In this case, an increased load is placed on the chassis elements on the outside of the bend. On the other hand, the wheels running along the inner side of the bend are unloaded.
But how do you use this principle? To relieve the wheels from the side that has to overcome the road flaw, you need to briefly turn the steering wheel towards the obstacle, and then hastily return it to its original position. This technique is also used by racers on the track to relieve the load on the wheels passing the curb (race track limiter).
We add that, of course, it is better not to “attack” any obstacle on the road, but to go around. Then the car will be spared from too much braking, and the suspension – from overload. It is also important to take into account that when driving on thoroughly broken roads, you should make a choice in favor of wheels with the highest-profile tires, which are more actively involved in the amortization process and, moreover, protect the rims from contact with the sharp edges of the pits.
