The rear suspension has 2 primary purposes:
| • | Isolate the driver from irregularities in the road surface. |
| • | Define the ride and handling characteristics of the vehicle. |
The rear suspension absorbs the impact of the tires travelling over irregular road surfaces and dissipates this energy throughout the suspension system. This process isolates the vehicle occupants from the road surface. The rate at which the suspension dissipates the energy and the amount of energy that is absorbed is how the suspension defines the vehicle's ride characteristics. Ride characteristics are designed into the suspension system and are not adjustable. The ride characteristics are mentioned in this description in order to aid in the understanding of the functions of the suspension system. The suspension system must allow for the vertical movement of the tire and wheel assembly as the vehicle travels over irregular road surfaces while maintaining the tire's relationship to the road.
The up and down motion of the tire and wheel assembly as the vehicle travels over bumps is absorbed predominantly by the coil spring. The shock absorber dampens the oscillations of the coil spring. A shock absorber is a basic hydraulic cylinder. The shock absorber is filled with oil and has a moveable shaft that connects to a piston inside the shock absorber. Valves inside the shock absorber offer resistance to oil flow and consequently inhibit rapid movement of the piston and shaft. This allows the shock absorber to utilize the dampening action to reduce the recoil of a spring alone.
The tire and wheel assembly is retained to the hub by wheel nuts and studs. The studs are pressed into the hub. The hub is retained to the wheel drive shaft flange by a nut. The hub rotates inside a sealed wheel bearing assembly. The wheel bearing is pressed into the lower control arm. The forward end of the lower control arm attaches to the rear suspension support with semi-rigid bushings.
The adjustment link assembly connects between the rear suspension support and the lower control arms. The inner adjustment link has a bushing. The outer adjustment link has a ball joint. The adjustment link assembly controls rear wheel camber and toe angles during suspension travel. The adjustment link assembly also provides a means of adjusting the rear wheel toe.
The stabilizer shaft connects between the left lower control arm and the right lower control arm through the stabilizer shaft links. Insulators and clamps retain the stabilizer shaft to the rear suspension support. The stabilizer shaft controls the amount of independent movement of the suspension when the vehicle turns. Limiting the independent movement defines the handling characteristics of the vehicle in turns.
