Load transfer
Load transfer refers to the 'shifting of weight' around a motor vehicle during acceleration or deceleration. Your car’s weight is distributed about evenly between front and rear axles and left and right wheels. But when you slow down, accelerate, or make a turn, this weight distribution changes. If you are turning, wheels on the outer side are getting more weight. When you are braking, the front axle is getting more weight, and when you are accelerating, the rear axle is getting more weight. You probably noticed, that your car tilts forward, when you are braking, and tilts backwards, when you are accelerating. It is exactly like your car behaves on the side of a hill, and the same laws of physics are at work here. Load transfer happens on the hill side, too.
It does not seem like a big deal at the first glance, but it is a big deal for your suspension. The front axle load when braking can easily be two times more than its load during acceleration, or even more than that! And this directly translates to the load your suspension has to handle.
[ Go Back ]
Fun and Safe Driving Encyclopedia Copyright © by Fun and Safe Driving - (14361 reads) |