Front Suspension Systems
Front suspension systems support the wheels in the front with the help of strut rods.
Telescopic-Classic
The suspension has a primary barrel tube and a slider tube is placed inside it,
providing free movement to the later one. It is laden with a spring and fork oil
inside to give the shock absorption facility. With telescopic suspension, the slider
is connected to the yoke of the handle while the barrel tube or damping unit is
laden on to the wheel. This ends up with the entire weight of the shock system on to
the wheel which makes the movement of the wheel and the handle a lot stiffer.
- Rigid
- Bodies (slider and fork tube) are rigid entities constrained by a
translational joint to allow the sliding action and a revolute joint to
facilitate steering.
Figure 1. - Deformable
- The strut rod is a flexible member constrained by a PTCV joint. This modeling approach allows the rod to bend/flex thereby introducing compliance in the fork assembly.
Telescopic-Inverted
In Upside down, as the name suggests, the suspension is fitted in a completely opposite direction. This means the handle yoke is connected to the barrel unit while the sliders are connected to the wheel of the bike. Compared to the regular telescopic fork, this system is stiffer as the tube is larger in diameter at the top to react the bending moments.
- Rigid
- Bodies (slider and fork tube) are rigid entities constrained by a
translational joint to allow the sliding action and a revolute joint to
facilitate steering.
Figure 2. - Deformable
- The strut rod is a flexible member constrained by a PTCV joint. This
modeling approach allows the rod to bend/flex thereby introducing
compliance in the fork assembly.
Figure 3.