Influences of system parameters on dynamic behavior of the vehicle shimmy system with clearance in steering linkage

Abstract

Influences of system parameters on dynamic behavior of the vehicle shimmy system with consideration of clearance in the steering linkage mechanism are analyzed. The kinematic pair of steering linkage mechanism with clearance between the steering tie rod and left trapezoidal arm is modeled based on Hertz’s law, and a four-degree-of-freedom dynamic model of a vehicle shimmy system with consideration of clearance in the steering linkage mechanism is presented. Based on this model, numerical analysis is carried out, and the influences of the parameters, such as clearance, contact surface stiffness of the kinematic pair, wheel alignment parameters, and vehicle speed on the dynamic response of the vehicle shimmy system are discussed. It is shown that, considering the clearance in the steering linkage mechanism, these parameters can make a coupled contribution to the dynamic response of the vehicle shimmy system, and some effective measurements for vehicle shimmy attenuation are available. The conclusions will provide theoretical basis for effective vehicle shimmy control, especially for vehicles which are in use.