Effect of Anti-Dive Suspension Geometry on Braking Stability

Suspension plays a crucial role in stabilizing, comfort and performance of a vehicle. During vehicle braking operation, load transfer happens from rear axle to front axle resulting in shifting of vehicle’s center of gravity towards vehicle front for a momentarily duration which is called diving. This phenomenon leads to dropping of traction at rear wheel end resulting in lifting of rear axle with front wheel as pivot. This causes increase in front to rear weight ratio of vehicle system and compromising driver safety due to skidding and locking of rear wheel-end. To minimize this phenomenon’s affect, optimum anti-dive suspension geometry is used to have better rear wheel end traction resulting in improved braking stability. This paper provides methodology for establishing coherence between braking and suspension geometry by providing mathematical model with various suspension geometries and its reaction force on vehicle under braking condition for predicting traction lose at rear wheel end. Moreover, it will assist in comparison of with anti-dive and without anti-dive suspension geometry on braking stability.