Q: What is a wishbone suspension?

A double wishbone suspension is an independent suspension design using two wishbone-shaped arms to locate the wheel. It’s also known as an upper and lower A-suspension. The wide end of the wishbones is mounted to the chassis of the car at two points which allow the arm to move up and down providing suspension travel. The small ends have the steering knuckle or wheel carrier fastened between the two arms, and the shock absorber and coil spring mount to the wishbones to control vertical movement. The double wishbone system requires the least compromise when engineering for tire and vehicle control, but also requires the most space for components. Because of the space requirements, it’s typically used only on front suspensions where trunk space is a consideration, and more often in the rear suspension of sports and high performance cars where cargo capacity takes a secondary role.