Page 247 - Automotive Engineering Powertrain Chassis System and Vehicle Body

Types of suspension and drive CHAPTER 8.1

Fig. 8.1-77 Double wishbone rear axle of the Honda Civic Shuttle 4 WD. The visco clutch sits (held by two shaft bearings) in the
centre of the divided propshaft. The rear axle differential has been moved forwards and is mounted to the rear on the body via
a cross-member. Apart from the different type of wheel bearings and the lower transverse control arm positioned somewhat further
back (to make it possible to bring the drive shafts through in front of the spring dampers), the axle corresponds to Fig. 8.1-62 and
resembles the suspension shown in Fig. 8.1-1.

than the back ones (Fig. 8.1-69). The tighter the bend, 8.1.7.3 Manual selection four-wheel
the greater the stress on the power train and the greater drive on commercial and all-terrain
the tendency to unwanted tyre slip. vehicles
A further problem is the braking stability of these
vehicles. If the front axle locks on a wet or wintry road The basis for this type of vehicle is the standard design
during braking, the rear one is taken with it due to the which, because of the larger ground clearance necessary
rigid power train. All four wheels lock simultaneously in off-road vehicles (Fig. 8.1-67), has more space avail-
and the car goes into an uncontrollable skid. able between the engine and front axle differential and

Fig. 8.1-78 Drive train of the four-wheel-drive Mercedes-Benz E class 4MATIC (from 1997). In order to be able to control the drive
shafts to the front wheels, an integrated spring-and-shock absorber strut in the shape of a fork on the lower transverse link is used. In
the almost identical suspension design of other than off-road varieties, the springs and shock absorbers are separate.

249