SAE International Development of a New Multi-link Rear Suspension 2012-01-0978

The requirements of suspension systems have become increasingly complex in recent years due to the expansion of global markets and diversification of the conditions under which vehicles are used in different parts of the world. It is also becoming increasingly important to ensure that vehicles offer the secure handling stability which are expected by drivers, but can also provide an adequate level of ride comfort when driving on a wide diversity of road surfaces in all parts of the world. From an environmental viewpoint, it is also essential to achieve weight reductions for better fuel economy. To meet these wide-ranging requirements, we have developed a new multi-link rear suspension that has a simple link configuration and a lower link that features a connecting bushing mechanism developed by Nissan. This innovative new connecting bushing mechanism not only helps to provide better handling stability by ensuring high stiffness and an adequate level of compliance steer, but also helps to improve the ride comfort by suitably controlling the behavior of tires when they encounter irregularities in the road surface, thereby providing a safe and comfortable driving experience suitable for a high-performance passenger vehicle. The new link layout enabled us to reduce the number of components compared with current multi-link suspensions, we have also achieved weight reductions by precisely controling the load transmitted to links and suspension members. In this paper, we introduce the purpose, structure, characteristics and advantages of this suspension.