AN EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF CUP SAND SUSPENSION FOR AUTOMOBILES

Suspension is the term given to the system of springs, shock absorbers and linkages that connects a vehicle to its wheels. Suspension systems serve a dual purpose – contributing to the vehicle‘s road holding / handling and braking for good active safety and driving pleasure, and keeping vehicle occupants comfortable and reasonably well isolated from road noise, bumps and vibrations, etc. At present, coil and leaf type suspensions are used in automobiles. This paper proposes design and fabrication of a suspension called ‗cup sand suspension. In all suspension systems damper is used which acts as a major shock absorber. Generally in automobile suspensions gas or oil is used as damper medium but cup suspension developed in this paper uses fine grains of sand which is a natural damper and it is a low cost best damper too. The suspensions used in automobiles are only compression suspensions but the cup suspension is provided with both compression and expansion action. Possibility of leakage is comparatively less as sand is used as the damper medium. Failure due to the sudden application of load(Buckling) is avoided. Both compression and expansion of springs takes place. Manufacturing cost is less and maintenance cost is less sand is readily and easily available.