One of many systems in a car that has evolved quite a bit yet stayed as complex as ever is the suspension system. Apart from the engine and transmission it has the highest number of components under its belt. The suspension of any vehicle, big or small, is there to, first of all, provide support for all that weight being put on the wheels and second of all, make for a smooth driving experience.
Now, how smooth your car's ride is depends on the components themselves and the suspension system as a whole. Individually every single component affects ride quality and handling but all of them together are what makes one suspension different from another.
What Makes up a Suspension System
Springs
Springs are exactly what you expect them to be and like the ones in old mattresses, their role is to dampen and absorb road imperfection be it bumps or holes. While there are different auto suspension parts that play a similar role, they are not as oriented towards ride comfort as springs. Without them, your car won't be as stable.
Shocks
Shocks or shock absorbers, as they're also called, are component that dampen up and down movements as well as oscillations caused by the springs when they absorb road imperfections. In other words, these car suspension components help cancel out the otherwise jolty nature of springs and without shock absorbers, springs wouldn't make a car as comfortable even on a smooth surface.
Ball Joints
When it comes to both lateral and horizontal loads being put on your vehicle, ball joints are used to help manage them. Ball joins also help rotate the wheels when you turn the one in the cabin. There are upper and lower ball joints and each has grease in them to help lubricate the moving parts that they house at one end where the rubber boot is.
Stabiliser Bars
In order for the body of your car to stay balanced you need stabiliser bars which help keep down the centrifugal force of the car which can easily affect your handling. Without these car suspension components, you can lose control over your car more easily especially when trying to turn at higher speeds. This car suspension part is simple yet quite effective at keeping you safe since it connects to the lower arms of both wheels.
Strut Bars
A strut bar may not be present on every vehicle but more modern cars have them as a standard part of their suspension system. These car suspension components are made to reduce the flex caused by the strut towers which house the shock absorber. This car suspension part connects the two towers together and thus whenever there is a bump that can unsettle your car the strut bar is what helps prevent that as it absorbs most of the vibrations.
Knuckle Arms
There are upper and lower knuckle arms in almost every vehicle and they are what connect the body of your car to the wheels. They play quite a vital role since not only do they attach important components but also help make your car more stable especially when turning in a sharp corner. Some vehicles only have lower arms. In some configurations, knuckle arms are known as A-arms or wishbones.
Anti-Roll Bar
Anti-sway or anti-roll bars are used together with the shock absorbers in order to make a car more stable. Just like strut bars, these auto suspension parts don't come standard on all vehicles but are a great addition if you want to stiffen your ride to get it ready for the track or some backroad fun.
Wheels
The wheels are also part of the suspension system as they also affect handling and stability. They are the only components that come in contact with the road, therefore they have a vital role to play and thus also require you to look after them more than any other suspension component.
Types of Suspension Systems
Independent
An independent suspension system is one that doesn't have a pair of wheels connected by an axle. Each wheel acts independently according to what's on the road. That is not to say that they are free-rolling like caster wheels are but they are not affected by what's happening on the other side of the car. If the right side goes over a pothole the left won't be affected by it as much or at all depending on the severity of the hole.
Non-Independent
With non-independent suspension you don't get the level of freedom and comfort you do with independent suspension. This means each pair of wheels is joined by a fixed axle that makes them operate like one. No matter how romantic this may sound it actually makes for a fitting solution when it comes to driving on rough terrain. Rear-wheel drive cars and SUVs come with non-independent suspension as their main suspension system.