Variation of the Spring Stiffness of Body Suspension cB
In the figure, the spring rate of the body suspension is varied. A softer body suspension rate reduces body natural frequency while the relative damping increases as a result. Body acceleration and dynamic wheel load fluctuations are reduced.
A softer body suspension rate would thus have a positive effect on driving safety and ride comfort. This can only be realized to a limited extent due to the negative effects of soft springs on body roll during cornering and brake dive. Softer springs would also mean considerable changes in ride height depending on load and the need for considerable spring travels.