The Influence of Lateral Load Transfer Distribution on Directional Response

Lateral load transfer occurs when vehicles engage in directional maneuvers. The distribution of lateral load transfer between front and rear axles depends on both roll stiffness and suspension geometry.

This paper uses computer simulation to examine the influence of lateral load transfer distribution on directional response. The simulation indicates that in mid-range maneuvers, say from .4g to .6g on a dry surface characterized by a friction limit of .85, the distribution of lateral load transfer has significant implications for directional response. This paper illustrates these differences by calculations in the time domain and by tracking peak response variables in ramped steer maneuvers as a function of lateral load transfer distribution. Differences are also apparent in the limit range where the distribution of lateral load transfer is shown to be very influential, differentiating in some cases between spin out and plow out response.