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Question

Difficulty: EasySuspension Systems

A passenger car sits noticeably lower on the front left corner while parked on level ground with no passengers or cargo. Which suspension component is directly responsible for holding up the vehicle's weight and has most likely failed?

  1. A
    Shock absorber
  2. Coil springAnswer
  3. C
    Sway bar link
  4. D
    Differential assembly

Answer

Coil spring
The coil spring is designed to bear the static weight of the vehicle chassis and maintain proper ride height. When a coil spring suffers from metal fatigue or fractures, the vehicle will sag at that specific corner even when stationary.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the primary mechanical function required in the scenario.
The symptom is static sagging at rest on level ground, which indicates a failure in vertical load support and ride height retention.
Suspension components serve distinct roles: supporting vehicle weight versus damping wheel motion or resisting lateral lean.
2
Evaluate the role of each suspension component against static load support.
The coil spring supports the vehicle's sprung mass, whereas the shock absorber only dampens oscillations during movement.
A broken or collapsed spring directly causes the affected corner to drop below standard ride height.

Key Concept

Suspension springs (coil or leaf) support static vehicle weight and maintain ride height, whereas shock absorbers control dynamic oscillation.
Estimated Time:40s
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Topics

Suspension Systems

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