Why MacPherson struts are so good.
in [Aussie Drivers]
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From: Jason James on 13 Jul 2010 17:18 MP struts have been around since the early 1900s. Their popular use increased during the '60s, especialy on small 4 cylinder cars. The beauty of MPstruts over wishbone steering/suspension is their ability to not use a load-bearing balljoint, which is what wears first in other designs. The MP uses a rubber/neoprene mounted upper ball-bearing. This race allows radial movement (steering direction changes) and changes in the strut's angle, as the coil-spring compresses and decompresses. The bottom BJ is for locating purposes only. Apart from the "strut-guts" which incorporates a shock absorber axially mounted in the strut housing, the most common wear is in the rubber donut that supports the upper race. Wear here causes the strut to angle-over or change camber on corners. It also increases caster as the strut leans rearward. Because of its simplicity, costs are kept down. Compared to a double-wishbone alternative, they just aint in the race cost-wise :-) Jason
From: Toby on 14 Jul 2010 02:33 On Wed, 14 Jul 2010 07:18:24 +1000, Jason James wrote: > MP struts have been around since the early 1900s. Their popular use > increased during the '60s, especialy on small 4 cylinder cars. The beauty of > MPstruts over wishbone steering/suspension is their ability to not use a > load-bearing balljoint, which is what wears first in other designs. The MP > uses a rubber/neoprene mounted upper ball-bearing. This race allows radial > movement (steering direction changes) and changes in the strut's angle, as > the coil-spring compresses and decompresses. > > The bottom BJ is for locating purposes only. Apart from the "strut-guts" > which incorporates a shock absorber axially mounted in the strut housing, > the most common wear is in the rubber donut that supports the upper race. > Wear here causes the strut to angle-over or change camber on corners. It > also increases caster as the strut leans rearward. > > Because of its simplicity, costs are kept down. Compared to a > double-wishbone alternative, they just aint in the race cost-wise :-) > > Jason Are you baiting moi, or not? -- Toby. Caveat Lector
From: Jason James on 14 Jul 2010 03:18 "Toby" <me(a)privacy.net> wrote in message news:1b6ahwnjwknow$.1lsn90z6geukh$.dlg(a)40tude.net... > On Wed, 14 Jul 2010 07:18:24 +1000, Jason James wrote: > >> MP struts have been around since the early 1900s. Their popular use >> increased during the '60s, especialy on small 4 cylinder cars. The beauty >> of >> MPstruts over wishbone steering/suspension is their ability to not use a >> load-bearing balljoint, which is what wears first in other designs. The >> MP >> uses a rubber/neoprene mounted upper ball-bearing. This race allows >> radial >> movement (steering direction changes) and changes in the strut's angle, >> as >> the coil-spring compresses and decompresses. >> >> The bottom BJ is for locating purposes only. Apart from the "strut-guts" >> which incorporates a shock absorber axially mounted in the strut housing, >> the most common wear is in the rubber donut that supports the upper race. >> Wear here causes the strut to angle-over or change camber on corners. It >> also increases caster as the strut leans rearward. >> >> Because of its simplicity, costs are kept down. Compared to a >> double-wishbone alternative, they just aint in the race cost-wise :-) >> >> Jason > > Are you baiting moi, or not? Keh? I thought the idea of a non-loadbearing ball-joint, a good thing. They're a weak point. The inherant weaknesses in a MP frontend, dont seem to be that much of a problem eg keeping the road wheels at optimum camber/caster/ toe whilst cornering. Jason
From: John_H on 14 Jul 2010 03:30 Jason James wrote: >MP struts have been around since the early 1900s. Which is rather surprising, since Earle MacPherson (no relation to Elle) is usually credited with having invented it in 1947! :) -- John H
From: Kev on 14 Jul 2010 06:22
Jason James wrote: > "Toby"<me(a)privacy.net> wrote in message > news:1b6ahwnjwknow$.1lsn90z6geukh$.dlg(a)40tude.net... >> On Wed, 14 Jul 2010 07:18:24 +1000, Jason James wrote: >> >>> MP struts have been around since the early 1900s. Their popular use >>> increased during the '60s, especialy on small 4 cylinder cars. The beauty >>> of >>> MPstruts over wishbone steering/suspension is their ability to not use a >>> load-bearing balljoint, which is what wears first in other designs. The >>> MP >>> uses a rubber/neoprene mounted upper ball-bearing. This race allows >>> radial >>> movement (steering direction changes) and changes in the strut's angle, >>> as >>> the coil-spring compresses and decompresses. >>> >>> The bottom BJ is for locating purposes only. Apart from the "strut-guts" >>> which incorporates a shock absorber axially mounted in the strut housing, >>> the most common wear is in the rubber donut that supports the upper race. >>> Wear here causes the strut to angle-over or change camber on corners. It >>> also increases caster as the strut leans rearward. >>> >>> Because of its simplicity, costs are kept down. Compared to a >>> double-wishbone alternative, they just aint in the race cost-wise :-) >>> >>> Jason >> >> Are you baiting moi, or not? > > Keh? I thought the idea of a non-loadbearing ball-joint, a good thing. > They're a weak point. The inherant weaknesses in a MP frontend, dont seem to > be that much of a problem eg keeping the road wheels at optimum > camber/caster/ toe whilst cornering. > > Jason > > Maybe ok for light on road applications Although I have seen huge strut type fronts on large mine dump trucks Kev |