The axle is one of the key components on the vehicle chassis, which is related to the performance of body load bearing, auxiliary braking and shock absorption. There are many types of axles, such as drive axle, steering axle, drive steering axle and support axle. In terms of structural form, they can be divided into integral axle and disconnected axle.

The integral axle is easy to understand. Like the trucks we usually see, most of them use the integral axle, which looks like a barbell in shape, with a shaft in the middle and wheels connected at both ends.

The disconnected axle is more complex. The middle axle is non-integral, and the wheels at both ends are connected through the articulated structure, so relative movement can be achieved.

From their respective characteristics, the integral axle design is simple, the daily maintenance is relatively convenient, and the one-piece axle beam provides greater bearing capacity and torque;

On the contrary, the disconnected axle has a relatively poor load-bearing capacity because it has no middle axle beam connection. However, the independent movement of the wheels on both sides can deal with complex and bad road conditions more calmly, and to some extent, it can also reduce the engine position, reduce the center of gravity of the vehicle, and improve the driving stability.

So, which suspension is applicable to the integral axle and the disconnected axle respectively?

In short, the suspension system mainly plays the role of shock absorption, in addition to supporting the body height and improving vehicle handling. There are many categories of vehicle suspension systems, such as leaf spring suspension, air suspension, hydro-pneumatic suspension, etc. If the structure is the same as the axle, the suspension can be divided into independent suspension and non-independent suspension.

Generally, the integral axle is often used in combination with the non-independent suspension, which is mostly used in trucks, buses, some SUVs or small cars. This combination has the advantages of simple structure, high strength, convenient maintenance, firm grip, small change in front wheel alignment during driving, and durability. However, the non-independent suspension has a heavy under-spring weight, and is relatively less comfortable, In addition, the trafficability of dealing with complex road conditions is also relatively poor.

The split axle is often used with independent suspension. The wheels on both sides are installed separately and connected with the vehicle body through independent suspension. When one side of the wheel crosses the obstacle and bumps, the other side of the wheel can not be affected. Because the unsprung weight of the independent suspension is small enough, the wheel can rise and fall quickly, the driving comfort is greatly improved, and the vehicle's ability to get out of trouble is also enhanced, Therefore, it is widely used in various military vehicles or off-road vehicles. However, because its connecting rod is independent, there are many articulated structures, and its durability and load-bearing are relatively poor. If the vehicle inclination is not well designed, it will also affect the handling.