Lesson 1Roll stiffness, anti-roll bar sizing and tuning to balance body control and ride comfortExplains roll stiffness split, anti-roll bar sizing, and bushing picks, showing effects on body roll, understeer/oversteer balance, response, and trade-off between cornering flatness and ride comfort.
Front vs rear roll stiffness splitAnti-roll bar diameter and materialLever arms, motion ratio, and rateBushings, links, and complianceUndersteer, oversteer, and comfortLesson 2Suspension layout choices for compact SUVs: MacPherson strut, double wishbone, multi-link — descriptions and comparative performance for ride and handlingReviews MacPherson strut, double wishbone, multi-link for compact SUVs, comparing kinematics, space, cost, ride comfort, steering feel, grip, and durability on bad roads.
MacPherson strut geometry and prosDouble wishbone camber controlMulti-link design and adjustabilityPackaging, weight, and crash loadsRide, handling, and tire wear impactLesson 3Structural considerations: chassis stiffness targets, subframe design for powertrain and suspension mounting, and NVH isolation techniquesSets chassis stiffness goals, load paths, subframe design for mounting, and NVH isolation via bushings, mounts, tuning to manage noise and vibration.
Global bending and torsional stiffnessFront and rear subframe architecturesPowertrain mount layout and tuningBushing stiffness and isolation tuningBody panels, sealants, and dampingLesson 4Tyre selection effects on handling, ride, and NVH: typical tyre sizes, aspect ratios, and load ratings for compact hybrid SUVsExamines tyre size, aspect ratio, build, load rating impacts on handling, ride, rolling resistance, NVH. Guides tyre choice for compact hybrid SUVs and testing validation.
Tire size and aspect ratio choicesLoad index and speed rating needsTread pattern, compound, and gripRolling resistance vs efficiencyTire NVH, roar, and road harshnessLesson 5Damping and spring tuning fundamentals: spring rates, damping ratios, ride frequency targets, and their effect on comfort over speed bumps and rough roadsCovers spring rate choice, damping ratios, ride frequencies, linking to body/wheel control, comfort over bumps, potholes, rough roads common for compact SUVs.
Ride frequency targets front and rearChoosing primary spring ratesDamper curves and damping ratiosJounce, rebound, and bump stopsTuning for speed bumps and potholesLesson 6Rear suspension alternatives (torsion beam, torsion beam with Watts linkage, multi-link): trade-offs in cost, packaging, and handlingCompares torsion beam, Watts-linked torsion beam, multi-link rears on cost, weight, space, roll steer, handling balance, ride, cargo room.
Basic torsion beam kinematicsWatts linkage geometry and effectCompact rear multi-link layoutsCost, mass, and manufacturing impactHandling, stability, and NVH traitsLesson 7Brake system concepts: disc vs drum, single vs dual-circuit hydraulics, brake booster options, and considerations for regenerative braking integrationCompares disc/drum, single/dual hydraulics, boosters, and regenerative braking integration for stable pedal, fade resistance, safety.
Disc vs drum brake hardware and coolingSingle vs dual-circuit hydraulic layoutsVacuum, hydraulic, and electric boostersPedal feel, travel, and brake balancePackaging for hybrid and EV platformsLesson 8Regenerative braking strategy: blending algorithms, regenerative torque limits, ABS/ESC coordination, and energy recovery expectationsDetails regen strategies, torque blending, limits from tyres/battery, ABS/ESC sync, realistic energy recovery for city/highway.
Regen torque maps and limitsBlending friction and regen torqueABS, ESC, and stability constraintsBattery SOC and temperature effectsEnergy recovery in real drive cyclesLesson 9Steering systems: electric power steering (EPS) architectures, assist level selection, steering ratio impact on low-speed manoeuvrability and highway stabilityCovers EPS types, assist tuning, ratio choices for low-speed ease, highway steadiness, feel, efficiency, ADAS fit.
Column vs rack EPS architecturesAssist curves and boost tuningSteering ratio and on-center feelReturnability and friction managementADAS integration and fail-safe modes
