Piston Slap: Suspension Cop Out or Wishbone Thinking?
Emanuel writes:
Hi Sajeev,
I’ve noticed that most of the mainstream sedans like the Accord, Mazda 6, Fusion and Sonata have abandoned the upper and lower control arm suspension, or what is normally referred to as double wishbones, in favor of the simpler strut based front end. Honda, which never failed to mention the Accord’s advanced double wishbone setup in their ads, claims the change was due to NVH and crash compliance issues. It also says that, because of how it tunes the strut setup, the current car handles and rides better than the double wishbone design.
I think this is a cop out and the change has been done mainly as a cost-cutting measure. As manufacturers add more content to cars that’s more readily visible (infotainment systems, push button start, blind spot monitoring, etc), things that are mostly hidden to the consumer — such more advanced suspension — are sacrificed.
My perception is that, all things being equal, a double wishbone suspension will ride and handle better than a strut setup. What say you?
Sajeev answers:
I learned this the hard way: nobody gives two shits about what Car Enthusiasts perceive in theory.
To wit, I once believed BMW signed a pact* with Satan Himself to get MacPherson struts and recirculating ball steering performing so brilliantly. But it happened, proving their worth for mass-market vehicles. Hell, Z06 Corvettes beat the living snot out of most everything via transverse fiberglass leaf springs dating back to the Model T and other horseless carriages. This includes out maneuvering a 911 Turbo S with front struts. If Porsche and BMW use them, if Chevy uses “far worse” and accomplishes so much, who cares if Honda ditches double wishbones on a mainstream family sedan?
Step out of the wholly-theoretical world of Car Enthusiast fodder: strut suspensions are cheaper to make, have less parts to fail (or rebuild) and the odds of someone exploring their geometric fail points on the street or even a track day is right at zero. ZERO.
You’ll race a long, long time for this to matter. It will cost you six figures, countless friendships, your marriage, etc. And in the meantime?
People gotta buy cars and they like to buy less stuff (they’ll never see), less things to wear out. It’s a win-win for everyone, even a die-hard double wishboner shall succumb to the harsh reality of the car business.
[Image: honda-tech.com]
*That honor now goes to Starbucks and Pumpkin Spice Everything.
Send your queries to sajeev@thetruthaboutcars.com. Spare no details and ask for a speedy resolution if you’re in a hurry…but be realistic, and use your make/model specific forums instead of TTAC for more timely advice.
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I owned a 94 Honda Accord and a 98 Accord years ago with the double wishbone setup and although they handled great and were low to the ground, they rode like crap. A same year Camry rode so much smoother and was quieter to drive although they used a Macstrut suspension. I do notice the lack of wheel travel in modern FWD cars, this leads to a choppy stiff ride that becomes very jittery on rough uneven roads. I’d still prefer a big RWD SLA coil spring setup for the ultimate riding comfort, with a long wheel travel. You can not obtain the same riding qualities or wheel movement geometry in a limited strut setup vs the reliable Long Arm Short arm design which is superior IMO.
And yet, Sajeev, the suposedly primitive Corvette is using SLA suspension both front and rear. I don't think that example can prove your point from both a positive and negative perspective at the same time. I agree that struts *can* be made to work well enough for street cars. That doesn't mean that the advantages of SLA or multi-link suspensions don't exist. You should have gone with your gut instinct that FoMoCo hit its zenith when the Mark VIII came out! ;)