Front suspension - design 960

Применимость

Control armTubeFront axle crossmemberTrack/tie rodAnti-roll bar linkPinionSpringStub axleShock absorberRear control arm mountingAnti-roll barOne of the of the main reasons the 1995 Volvo 960 feels like a completely new car is the comprehensive modification to the front suspension and further refinement of the multilink rear suspension, which together provide improved handling and comfort.The front end has been largely redesigned, with the exception of the upper suspension strut bearing and the mounting in the wheelhouse turret. Many features of this front end recall those on the Volvo 850.

Suspension

New control arm with more rigid mounting

The relatively complicated design consisting of both a control arm and control arm bar has been replaced by a cast control arm of cast steel. The control arm mountings are connected by heavy tube. This provides a very rigid mounting as both side beams combine to absorb forces applied through the front end, even if the primary objective of the tube is to improve protection in off set collisions. The front control arm mounting is as previously in the front axle cross member which has also been reinforced. The strengthened mounting reduces the propagation of sound in the body.

Softer springing and shock absorbers

Springs and shock absorbers in the front end are softer than before in order to make the car more comfortable and responsive to the road surface and overcome large obstacles more smoothly.

Increased rigidity in the anti-roll bar

The effect of the anti-roll bar is considerably greater than before, although the diameter is the same (23 mm). The reason is partly that the anti-roll bar is affecting the spring strut via the anti-roll bar link, instead of via the control arm as before, and partly because all rubber links have been replaced with ball joints. The rigidity of the anti-roll bar on the 960 is now comparable with that of the 850.

Steering

Lower forces on the steering wheel

In order to reduce the forces on the steering wheel, the steering gear has been changed using a new pinion and torsion bar, something which has changed the operating pressure for the servo oil within the steering gear. In addition the length of the track rod and its design have been adapted to the longer control arm and the new stub axle.

Neutral steering

To make the car more comfortable to drive while cornering the existing moderate understeer has been reduced and the steering made more neutral by, among other things, adjusting the torsional rigidity between the front and the back of the car.