Independent Suspension and Non-independent Suspension on Slide-in Campers

Tags: Slide-in Camper, Camper Suspension, Independent Suspension, Non-independent Suspension, Camper Knowledge

Today we will talk about an important component of slide-in campers: independent suspension and non-independent suspension.

Independent Suspension System

Each wheel on either side is individually suspended under the frame or body through an elastic suspension system. That is, there is no rigid axle for rigid connection between the left and right wheels. The suspension system allows the wheels on both sides to be independent of each other without mutual interference.

Advantages

Light weight, reduces impact on the overall vehicle body, and improves wheel adhesion. Compared with non-independent suspension, its most prominent advantage is excellent comfort.

Disadvantages

The independent suspension system features a complex structure, high cost, and inconvenient maintenance. Meanwhile, the complex structure will occupy some interior space.

Non-independent Suspension System

The wheels on both sides are connected by an integrated frame. The wheels together with the axle are suspended under the frame or body through an elastic suspension system. That is, there is a rigid axle for rigid connection between the two wheels, so the two wheels are not independent and will affect each other.

Advantages

Simple design structure, light weight, and small space occupation. Compared with independent suspension, its most prominent advantage is high strength.

Disadvantages

Non-independent suspension has relatively poor comfort and handling stability, so it generally needs adjustment to achieve the effect of independent suspension.

In terms of comfort, if vehicles with the two types of suspension drive on a bumpy road, the wheels on both sides of the non-independent suspension are connected by a rigid axle. Therefore, when one wheel encounters a bump, the other wheel will also be affected, resulting in poor vehicle comfort.

In contrast, the left and right wheels of independent suspension are independent of each other. When one wheel encounters road undulations, it will not affect the other wheel, so the vehicle has better comfort. However, this comparison is based on poor road conditions. If you buy a vehicle only for daily short-distance travel on good roads, the difference will not be so obvious.

In terms of handling, independent suspension definitely provides better handling. The front suspension has a greater impact on vehicle handling, while the rear suspension has a slightly smaller impact. However, most modern vehicles adopt independent suspension for the front suspension, and only the rear suspension is divided into independent and non-independent types. The difference between the two is only reflected in extreme driving conditions. In cases such as emergency avoidance, the shortcomings of non-independent suspension will be greatly reduced if the ESP, tire matching and adjustment level are good. Therefore, for daily use, the impact of independent rear suspension and non-independent rear suspension on handling is comparable.

There is also a special type of suspension - the trailing arm torsion beam suspension, also known as the "torsion beam". Why is it special?

Like non-independent suspension, it connects the two wheels with a component. When one wheel is affected, the other will also be interfered. However, the component in the middle of non-independent suspension is very rigid, called a "rigid axle", so the mutual interference between the two wheels is obvious. The component of the torsion beam suspension is called a "torsion beam", which can twist within a certain range to minimize the mutual interference between the two wheels, and has the characteristics of independent suspension to a certain extent.

Therefore, it is also called "torsion beam semi-independent suspension". Strictly speaking, it is still a type of non-independent suspension.

The characteristics of the trailing arm torsion beam suspension are: simple structure, few required parts, and small installation space. This results in relatively low cost, and the saved space can be allocated to the vehicle body. Therefore, most domestic small and compact passenger cars adopt this form for the rear suspension. However, vehicles with this suspension type will give people a non-premium feeling, and the riding experience is indeed not good if the adjustment is not particularly in place.