Overview of Design Approaches for Optimizing Fatigue Performance of Suspension Systems

This paper provides an overview of some design processes emphasizing fatigue considerations for suspension system components. Two-suspension components used on the new Ford Ranger Pickup truck have been selected as illustrations. Emphasis is placed on the use of non-linear, dynamic modeling as a tool for designing vehicles to exceed customer fatigue requirements.

THIS PAPER is intended to preceed a series of specialized papers on specific aspects of fatigue as a part of the SAE Fatigue Conference April, 1982. It is intended to discuss some analytical tools available to the engineer and some specific examples of how components of a suspension system may be engineered to survive in normal service environments and to meet customer expectations.