Often we hear the word chassis being flipped in the air when we talk about cars. Most of us know that it is the body of the car. What its made of or what what materials are used to make it lighter or how the performance can be improved by making alterations to the chassis are some of the many questions that go ignored in our daily lives. Thus today"s post will be dedicated to this.
The chassis gives the vehicle its structural integrity and with the help of suspension support, it makes sure that the vehicle "floats", i.e. runs without transmitting each and every bump on the road.
Earlier forms of car had a ladder frame chassis which was essentially a frame with two parallel steel beams attached with cross member beams. Though freight trucks still use this type of chassis, modern cars have "unibodied" (slang for gravitized towards unitized body)
which integrates the metallic skin with the frame of the body. Thus the frame can be lighter without a compromise on the structural integrity of the body. this typically leads to a quieter an smoother vehicle.
Now the case of Formula 1 cars is entirely different. With the help of advanced designs and materials the need for a frame is entirely eliminated. In F1 cars the structural integrity is not compromised, while with the removal of the frame the weight is reduced drastically. These cars use carbon fiber, an extremely light and durable material.(such designs where frame is not used are called monocoques)
Many sports car manufacturers like Ferrari, Lexus etc. use carbon fiber frames with aluminium sub-frames mounted on front and the rear. Lamborghini's recent Aventador roadster and Aventador SV have similar build tech to that of an F1 car.
Thus various types of cahssis exist today with new developments in it each day. As newer car models arrive better, sturdier and lighter chassis are coming into play.
The chassis gives the vehicle its structural integrity and with the help of suspension support, it makes sure that the vehicle "floats", i.e. runs without transmitting each and every bump on the road.
Earlier forms of car had a ladder frame chassis which was essentially a frame with two parallel steel beams attached with cross member beams. Though freight trucks still use this type of chassis, modern cars have "unibodied" (slang for gravitized towards unitized body)
which integrates the metallic skin with the frame of the body. Thus the frame can be lighter without a compromise on the structural integrity of the body. this typically leads to a quieter an smoother vehicle.
Now the case of Formula 1 cars is entirely different. With the help of advanced designs and materials the need for a frame is entirely eliminated. In F1 cars the structural integrity is not compromised, while with the removal of the frame the weight is reduced drastically. These cars use carbon fiber, an extremely light and durable material.(such designs where frame is not used are called monocoques)
Many sports car manufacturers like Ferrari, Lexus etc. use carbon fiber frames with aluminium sub-frames mounted on front and the rear. Lamborghini's recent Aventador roadster and Aventador SV have similar build tech to that of an F1 car.
Thus various types of cahssis exist today with new developments in it each day. As newer car models arrive better, sturdier and lighter chassis are coming into play.
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| A typical chassis |
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| A monocoque |
