Although the hydraulic suspension isn’t new to the auto industry, it is still not a standard part of all vehicles. It was designed back in the 40s of the previous century by an employee in Citroen and was first implemented in 1954 in Citroen cars, but it’s still not a standard part of all vehicles today.
The reason behind it is that it is too expensive, and not everyone can afford to have this part in their vehicles. Of course, car manufacturers have no problem installing it, but the car’s final price may be too high for some customers, which is why some vehicles use other types of suspension systems.
What is a suspension system?
When driving the car on the road, it is never a flat surface over which your vehicle will ride smoothly. There’s no flawless asphalt or concrete road, and you’ll surely experience some small elevations or holes while driving.
These road imperfections will transfer to the driver’s cabin without the suspension system. As the tire meets the hole, it will react to it, moving the bump effect to the wheel, which goes on to the frame and finally to the driver’s seat, making the feeling terrible.
The suspension system provides comfort for the driver by absorbing this force imposed on the tire. First, the air in the tire’s rubber will absorb some, and then the suspension system specifically designed will do the rest. The driver will feel something nonetheless, but this impact will sometimes be reduced to more than 90%.
How does the hydraulic suspension system work?
The hydraulic suspension system is by far the best of all. The only drawback it has is the price. It has the most costly hydraulic suspension kit, so it is not the most used one in the auto industry.
The system is made of four separate dumpers filled with hydraulic fluid. As the vehicle hits the bump on the road, the fluids compress and decompress inside the damper chamber, absorbing most of the impact. The springs will then move the tire up and down, adjusting to the road immediately and making the driver feel nearly nothing of the road obstacle.
What is the hydraulic suspension kit made of?
There are roughly eight parts that drive the hydraulics car suspension system. Although the entire system is far more complex, we’re only mentioning the most crucial items trying not to get inside the mechanics too much. Here they are:
- Hydraulic oil tank
- Engine pump
- Pressure regulator
- Swinging arm for each wheel
- Stabilizer bars both front and rear
- Torsion bar going from front to rear wheels
- Synthetic rubber with inert gas metal spheres connected to the shocks
- Lines distributing hydraulic oil from the tank to all four wheels
All of these parts are crucial for the work of the hydraulic system. If one of these isn’t working, you will not get adequate experience while driving the car. One wheel’s system may fail, and the rest will work, but you’ll notice how much only one wheel can make a change in the comfort of driving.
One of the best things about hydraulics is that they can be installed and controlled through the driver’s cabin. You can adjust the hydraulics to be stiffer and provide a straight line because the open road won’t give you too many bumps if you’re driving on the highway.
On the other hand, if you’re driving through the city streets or off-road, you can adjust the system to absorb more of the bumps and give you a smoother experience.
What’s the difference between hydraulics and air suspension kits
A similar kit often used aside from the hydraulics kit is the air suspension kit. It works very similar to the hydraulics kit but has one crucial difference – instead of hydraulics, it uses compressed air to absorb the bumps.
This one’s more affordable, but it is also not as good as the hydraulics. The response time is lower, and it is not as effective as the vehicle is when using the hydraulics system. Some people use this one because of the pricing and because it is still better than the original suspension system your vehicle has.
Final Words
The hydraulics suspension system is by far the best solution for a bumpy road. It is the ultimate solution if you want to have a car that will solve all issues and problems on the road, and you’ll enjoy a smooth ride without feeling anything uncomfortable.
Yes, it may be a bit pricey, but everything with quality has its price. The system works by installing the parts we talked about above and is something that a good mechanic will handle in a few days. If you like to have a vehicle of the future, the hydraulics kit is the best solution.