Evening star., 1933-12-24
NEW WHEEL ACTION
ST|Rs AUTO CENTER
Independent Suspension
in Plymouth and General
Motors Cars.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
DETROIT, December 23.-Oficial
disclosure of spring mechanisms that
have been devised to give 1884 motor
cars greater riding comfort by giving
front wheels independent suspension
continue to stir the automobile center.
The newest is Plymouth. for which
Chrysler has elected to employ this
principle in forthcoming new models.
In engineering parlance. it is termed
the link parallelogram" or "panto-
graph" type with supporting arms of
"wishbone" form combined with a
heavy coil spring, giving front axle
freedom and fiexibility.
Similar to Foreign Use.
It is said to be similar in operation
to others that have been In use on the
German Mercedes and the French De-
lage cars in Europe. As the Chrysler
engineers have worked 1t out. it Is said
to be contributing factor toward the
elimination of troubles common to most
cars at certain speeds and travelling
over bumpy roads. These faults are
tramp.
The front end linkage is supple
mented further by a double-acting
shock absorber and with steering gear
alterations that compensate with the
substitution of the heavy coil spring
for the leaf springs used convention
ally.
At a preview staged here, B. e.
Hutchinson, chairman Of the Plymouth
board, gave some Of the underlying rea-
sons for the adoption of independent
springing.
ITO engineers" Mr.. Hutchinson said,
''it Is merely means to an end and
not the end itself. What they wanted
to do was to provide modern automo-
bile with riding qualities. handling ease
and safety factors not attainable in a
conventionally designed motor car. In
the conventional automobile, front
springs are composed Of a series Of fiat
leaves one above the other, which bend
when a wheel hits an obstruction.
Moreover, they are the only con-
nections between the chassis and the
front axle and wheel assembly. Func-
tions In the front springs of con-
ventional automobile make it impos-
sible to soften the springs beyond a
certain point. The engineers some time
ago decided to abandon conventional
deaf spring. design and develop a
suspension lcoil spring. which would in
itself permit installation Of a spring
of any required softness.
I'm reality coil spring is nothing
more than long bar of steel rolled
up into a coil It differs from the
conventional leaf spring In that its
cushioning action is not due to its re-
% t,.rf ffc ~
sistance to being twisted"
Develops New Ride Principle.
In lecture given in connection with
preview of new Buick cars, F. A.
explained that independent wheel sus-
cooperating in all passenger car models
for 1884, is intended to develop a new
fundamental principle of ride" Its
aim is to give passengers a fat ride,
rather than pitching ride.
The effect he described as a COM
posite of factors, including Independent
suspension, balanced springing, weight
distribution and correct shock absorber
control, by which both pitching Of q
car from front to rear is avoided as
well as body roll from side to side.
In new cars generally that are sched-
uled for 1894 showing, the high
hipped" front fender Is marked char
acteristic. The tenders also are
"skirted" with the radiators sloped on
the same plane as windshields, with the
front ends more ovaled and pointed
at the base than formerly.
The body builders also have wind
streamed their lines so that perpen-
dicular holdings or stripping have been
avoided, giving place to horizontal
iouvers and other exterior markings
that tmpart the appearance of f1eetness
to streamlined models.
(Copyright, 1888. bv North American News
paper Alliance, lnc)