Dynamic Characteristics of Exhaust Hanger Composed of Rubber and Thin Metal Ring

Abstract

The dynamic characteristics of exhaust hangers for automotive use are studied for high frequencies at which the resonance vibration of the exhaust hangers occurs. A newly developed exhaust hanger composed of rubber and a thin metal ring is presented, which can provide a lower dynamic stiffness in a wide frequency range than an exhaust hanger made of solid rubber. A dynamic characterization testing and finite-element analysis of the exhaust hangers were carried out to clarify the frequency responses of dynamic stiffness in the high-frequency range. A method of treating the viscoelasticity of the rubber material using the finite-element method is proposed to predict the dynamic characteristics of the exhaust hangers. The finite-element method results show a good agreement with the experimental results for the frequency response of dynamic stiffness. Concerning the newly developed exhaust hanger, the effects of metal ring geometry and rubber hardness on the dynamic stiffness are examined to demonstrate the design principle for providing a low dynamic stiffness in a wide frequency range.