LS460 front suspension

[markj]

Hi

 

Not sure if this is in the right place but here goes.

Had the good fortune to be a passenger in a mates Lexus Ls460 today.

Also had the misfortune to have a puncture N/S/F.

 

Anyway when helping to change the wheel i had a look at the front suspension setup.

all nice and shiny forged aluminium hub carrier and two upper ball joints!

 

I have never seen this type of setup on a car, it must rotate arount different axies when you turn left or right.

another thing that came to me as i read the owners manual on the way home, yes i know it's sad.

the car drops 30mm when it travels over 60mph. does this effect the setup. if you lower most cars the camber changes

causing wear of the tyre.

 

i have enclosed a picture of the front suspension. it may also have two lower ball joins but the 2nd one is hidden on the picture.

 

Has anyone seen a similar setup on another car, does it cause any problems with alignment.

 

just wondering

 

mark

[CIH]

Audi also have a split upper-link. No idea why other the fact they call it "delta curve".

 

I would guess if the suspension drops 30mm then the extra camber is benefical ie; doesn't go too far to cause wear. Probably not a problem unless it's running wider wheels/tyres.

[Tony]

This type of arrangement is very common nowadays. the three point pivotal axis or delta curve is an efficient method to steer the wheels or in other words. A curve which can be turned continuously inside an equilateral triangle. There are an infinite number of delta curves, but the simplest are the circle and lens-shaped Delta-biangle. All the Delta curves of height h have the same perimeter 2pih/3. Also, at each position of a Delta curve turning in an equilateral triangle, the perpendiculars to the sides at the points of contact are concurrent at the instantaneous center of rotation.