Automobile chassis & Frame

INTRODUCTION OF CHASSIS FRAME

Chassis frame is the basic frame work of the automobile. It supports all the parts of the automobile attached to it. It is made of drop forged steel. All the parts related to automobiles are attached to it only. All the systems related to automobile like power plant, transmission, steering, suspension, braking system etc. are attached to and supported by it only.

CHASSIS

“Chassis” a French term which means the complete Automobiles without Body and it includes all the systems like power plant, transmission, steering, suspension, wheels tires, auto electric system etc. without body. If Body is also attached to it them it is known as the particular vehicle as per the shape and design of the body.

THE FUNCTIONS OF THE CHASSIS FRAME

      -          To Carry Load of the passengers or goods carry in the body.

      -          To support the load of the body, Engine, gear box & etc.

      -          To withstand the force caused due to the sudden breaking & acceleration.

      -          To withstand the stresses, cause due to the bad road condition.

      -          To withstand centrifugal force while cornering.

      -          To withstand bending stresses due to rise and fall of the front and rear axles.

      -          To withstand torsional vibration caused by the movement of the vehicle.

TYPES OF CHASSIS FRAME

       1)    According to Engine location

1)      Conventional chassis

2)      Semi-forward chassis

3)      Full-forward chassis

4)      Rear Engine chassis

       2)    According to Frame

1)      Ladder Frame

2)      Tubular space frame

3)      Monocoque Frame

4)      UlSAB Monocoque frame

5)      Backbone frame

6)      Aluminum space frame

7)      Carbon fiber monocoque

      1)  According To engine Location

1)      Conventional chassis

In this type of chassis the engine is fitted in front of the driver cabin making the driver sit quit far off the front axle due to this the driver isn’t able to see the road just in front of the front tires also here the portion where engine is fitted can’t be utilize for carrying passenger or goods. You can see the images.

In This type of chassis, the body is made as a separate unit and then joint with ladder frame. It supports all the system in vehicle such as the engine, suspension system, steering system, transmission system.

                  

Advantages of conventional frame chassis

1)      Higher load capacity & strength

Disadvantages of conventional frame chassis

1)      The body tends to vibrate easily and the overall vehicle handling and refinement is lower.

2)      It is use in truck, bus, & in SUV cars and bigger vehicle.

2)    Semi-forward chassis

In this type of chassis engine is fitted in such a way that half of it is inside the driver cabin and the remaining half is in the front of the driver cabin. here the portion of chassis where engine is inside the driver cabin is utilized for carrying passengers or goods.

3)    Full-forward chassis

In this type of chassis complete engine is mounted inside the drives cabin. Here the driver seat just above the front wheels and is able to see the road just in front of front tires. also, here the space for carrying passengers or good increases. This type of chassis is also known as BUS chassis.

2)  According to Frame

1)    Ladder frame

This term is widely used when it comes to vehicles that are mounted on a separate frame. It's also referred to as a body-on-frame. It gets the ladder in its name from the way it looks. The frame consists of two long, heavy beams of steel, held together by two shorter pieces.

                           

2)    TUBULAR SPACE FRAME

These are made from ERW (Electric Resistance Welding) Tubes assembled in Pyramid construction with the help of ball nuts and self-threading tubular members. They can be assembled in flat top or curved or dome shape to suit the customer requirements.

3)    MONOCOQUE FRAME

Monocoque, also structural skin, is a structural system where loads are supported through an object's external skin, similar to an egg shell. The word monocoque is a French term for "single shell" or "single hull".

4)    ULSAB MONOCOQUE FRAME

ULSAB Stand for ULTRALIGHT STEEL AUTO BODY

The Ultralight Steel Auto Body (ULSAB) Programmed is an intensive, multi-phase study to demonstrate steel's capability to reduce substantially the weight of a vehicle's body structure and, at the same time, ensure safety with improved comfort and driving performance, all at affordable cost.

5)    BACKBONE FRAME

Backbone tube chassis is a type of automobile construction chassis that is similar to the body-on-frame design. Instead of a two-dimensional ladder-type structure, it consists of a strong tubular backbone (usually rectangular in cross section) that connects the front and rear suspension attachment areas.

6)    CARBON-FIBER MONOCOQUE

Carbon-fiber monocoque design is commonly used in racing cars since 1980's, like Formula racing and Le Mans series prototypes.

7)    ALUMINUM SPACE FRAME

VARIOUS LOADS ACTING ON THE CHASSIS FRAME

1. Stationary loads namely the loads of permanent attachment like all the parts of the chassis, body etc.

2. Short duration loads while turning, braking etc.

3. Momentary loads while quick acceleration, sudden braking etc.

4. Loads applied while crossing roads of irregular and uneven surfaces

5. Loads caused by sudden accidents, head on collusions etc.

6. Loads caused by irregular and overloading of vehicle.

DIFFERENT BODIES USED IN AUTOMOBILES

1)    SALOON CAR

A sedan, or saloon, is a passenger car in a three-box configuration with separate compartments for engine, passenger, and cargo. Sedan's first recorded use as a name for a car body was in 1912.

2)    HATCHBACK CAR

A hatchback is a car with a hatch-type rear door that opens upwards and often a shared volume for the passenger and cargo areas.

3)    COUPE CAR

A coupe (US) or coupé (UK) is properly a passenger automobile with a sloping rear roofline and two doors, although several four-door cars have also been marketed as coupés.

4)    LIMOUSINE CAR

A limousine is a luxury vehicle driven by a chauffeur with a partition between the driver's compartment and the passenger's compartment. In some countries like USA, Germany, Canada, a "limousine service" is a pre-booked hire car with driver, regardless of the type of vehicle.

5)    SPORTS CAR

A sports car is designed to emphasis handling, performance or thrill of driving. Sports cars originated in Europe in the early 1900s and are currently produced by many manufacturers around the world.

6)    CONVERTIBLE CAR

A convertible, cabriolet or spider is a passenger car that can be driven with or without a roof in place. The methods of retracting and storing the roof vary between models. A convertible allows an open-air driving experience, with the ability to provide a roof when required.

7)    STATION WAGON

A station wagon, also called an estate car, estate or wagon, is a car body style which has a two-box design, a large cargo area and a rear tailgate that is hinged to open for access to the cargo area.



8)  SUV (Sport utility vehicle)

Sport utility vehicle is a category of motor vehicles that combine elements of road-going passenger cars with features from off-road vehicles, such as raised ground clearance and four-wheel drive. There is no commonly agreed definition of an SUV, and usage varies between countries.