What is Ride Frequency and Why Should You Care?
Ride frequency is the natural oscillation frequency of a vehicle, determined by the interaction between the suspension spring rate and the vehicle mass. It directly impacts driving comfort and handling.
A vehicle with an optimal ride frequency provides a smooth ride and good handling. Understanding this metric helps with suspension tuning, whether you are designing a comfortable daily driver or a performance-oriented setup.
How to Calculate Ride Frequency
Here is the formula:
[f = \frac{1}{2\pi}\sqrt{\frac{K}{M}}]
Where:
- f is the ride frequency in hertz (Hz).
- K is the spring rate of the suspension in Newtons per meter (N/m).
- M is the total mass of the loaded vehicle in kilograms (kg).
Calculation Example
A vehicle has a spring rate of 12,000 N/m and a loaded mass of 1,500 kg.
Divide the spring rate by the mass:
[\frac{K}{M} = \frac{12{,}000}{1{,}500} = 8]
Take the square root:
[\sqrt{8} \approx 2.83]
Divide by 2pi:
[f = \frac{2.83}{6.28} \approx 0.45 \text{ Hz}]
The ride frequency is approximately 0.45 Hz, which indicates a very soft suspension setup.