Design and Testing of Passive Suspension Systems for Off-Road Vehicles

Published Paper PDF: PDF

Karan Desai

Independent Researcher

India

Abstract
This manuscript presents a comprehensive study on the design and testing of passive suspension systems for off-road vehicles, adhering strictly to technologies and methodologies available up to the end of 2014. The focus is on classical spring-damper configurations—leaf springs, coil springs, torsion bars—and hydraulic shock absorbers (twin-tube and monotube)—evaluated through finite element analysis, bench testing, and full-vehicle trials. Key performance metrics such as ride comfort, handling stability, and durability under severe terrain conditions are quantified. Experimental results from three case studies (a light utility vehicle, a mid-size SUV, and a heavy-duty 4×4 truck) demonstrate the correlation between suspension parameters and dynamic response. Conclusions highlight optimal design trade-offs and propose guidelines for achieving balanced ride and handling performance in off-road applications.

Keywords
Passive suspension, off-road vehicles, leaf spring, coil spring, hydraulic damper, finite element analysis, ride comfort, handling stability, durability

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