Control Blade Suspension

[neutralsteer]

Does anyone know of a site/image having good info on the control blade type of suspension (ford territory/focus vehicles)?

Best Regards,
NS

 

[GregLocock]

Just a word of warning, it may not be present on all Focii, I had thought that just sporty, wagon and any AWD variants would get it. I'm not absolutely sure that they even called it control blade then, we certainly didn't during its development.

http://www.ford.com.au/inside_ford/press/View_Press_Release.asp?file=foa319.htm

http://www.fordfocus.com.au/home/performance/

I gather it also the new VW/Audi small car rear suspension, partly because they want Golf to regain its handling reputation.

To my mind it combines the many engineering benefits of a Chapman strut with the marketing and package advantages of an IRS.



Cheers

Greg Locock

 

[GregLocock]

That'd be a multilink IRS

Cheers

Greg Locock

 

[neutralsteer]

You worked on it? I think its a neatly done suspension and its got excellent media reviews! I wonder though...Have you engineered the structure of the mounting plate on the trailing arm for certain compliant toe characteristics?

Any chance of this going on any utility / SU- vehicle in near future?

Best Regards,
Chinmay

 

[GregLocock]

Yes I worked on it.

The toe characteristics are not significantly controlled by the trailing arm (grin). Why do you think the blade is tall and thin?

The Ford Territory is an SUV (closest in the states is a BMW X5, albeit we have a better front suspension, 200kg lighter, and a seven seater)





Cheers

Greg Locock

 

[JakubMech]

Isnt similar to something like a tri-link suspension? although its got an additional upper arm hasnt it? on the BA falcon?



Jakub

 

[GregLocock]

Well, in our terminology it is an SLA trailing arm suspension.

It has a long rear lateral arm, which controls toe, a pair of shorter front lateral arms, vertically above each other, which control the camber, and the control blade, which reacts brake and traction loads.



Cheers

Greg Locock