ivan
27-04-07, 05:15 PM
The Beam Axle
This system is used in front wheel drive cars, where the rear axle isn't driven. (hence it's full description as a "dead beam"). Again, it is a relatively simple system. The beam runs across under the car with the wheels attached to either end of it. Also at the ends, the springs and shock absorbers are attached. The beam has two integral trailing arms built in instead of the separate control arms required by the solid-axle-coil-spring system. Variations on this system can have either separate springs and shocks, or the combined 'coil-over-oil' variety as shown here. One notable feature of this system is the track bar (or panhard rod). This is a diagonal bar which runs from the rear corner of the beam to a point either just in front of the opposite corner, or in this case, above the opposite spring mount. This is to prevent side-to-side movement in the beam which would cause all manner of nasty handling problems. A variation on this is the twist axle which is identical with the exception of the panhard rod. In this system, the axle is designed to twist slightly. This gives, in effect, a semi-independent system whereby a bump on one wheel is partially soaked up by the twisting action of the beam. Yet another variation on this system does away with the springs and replaces them with torsion bars running across the chassis, and attached to the leading edge of the beam supports. These beam types are currently very popular because of their simplicity and low cost.
Again, the Toyota Starlet uses the exact system illustrated below. It consists of the axle-beam, two struts (shock absorbers) with a spring coiled around it and a panhard rod that tied to the chassis to prevent side-to-side movement.
261
Regards,
Ivan
Note: This article may have been copied from another website and revised to better suit the Starlet community. If you are the owner of the original article and would like us to remove it, please contact me via email with the subject "Remove Article" and i will remove it from this website as soon as possible.
This system is used in front wheel drive cars, where the rear axle isn't driven. (hence it's full description as a "dead beam"). Again, it is a relatively simple system. The beam runs across under the car with the wheels attached to either end of it. Also at the ends, the springs and shock absorbers are attached. The beam has two integral trailing arms built in instead of the separate control arms required by the solid-axle-coil-spring system. Variations on this system can have either separate springs and shocks, or the combined 'coil-over-oil' variety as shown here. One notable feature of this system is the track bar (or panhard rod). This is a diagonal bar which runs from the rear corner of the beam to a point either just in front of the opposite corner, or in this case, above the opposite spring mount. This is to prevent side-to-side movement in the beam which would cause all manner of nasty handling problems. A variation on this is the twist axle which is identical with the exception of the panhard rod. In this system, the axle is designed to twist slightly. This gives, in effect, a semi-independent system whereby a bump on one wheel is partially soaked up by the twisting action of the beam. Yet another variation on this system does away with the springs and replaces them with torsion bars running across the chassis, and attached to the leading edge of the beam supports. These beam types are currently very popular because of their simplicity and low cost.
Again, the Toyota Starlet uses the exact system illustrated below. It consists of the axle-beam, two struts (shock absorbers) with a spring coiled around it and a panhard rod that tied to the chassis to prevent side-to-side movement.
261
Regards,
Ivan
Note: This article may have been copied from another website and revised to better suit the Starlet community. If you are the owner of the original article and would like us to remove it, please contact me via email with the subject "Remove Article" and i will remove it from this website as soon as possible.