What is hydrolastic suspension?

Hydrolastic suspension is a type of automotive suspension system that uses fluid-filled displacers to provide a smooth and comfortable ride. The system consists of interconnected units filled with a special hydraulic fluid that allows for the transfer of forces between the wheels. When one wheel hits a bump, the fluid is forced to move to the other side, helping to absorb the impact and reduce vibrations. This system was commonly used in British cars in the 1960s and 1970s, such as the Mini and the Austin 1100.

Hydrolastic suspension is a type of suspension system that uses interconnected fluid-filled spheres to provide damping and springing. It was developed by British engineer Alec Issigonis and first used on the BMC ADO16 range of cars in 1959.

Hydrolastic suspension consists of four interconnected spheres, two at the front and two at the rear of the car. Each sphere is filled with a mixture of water and glycol, and is connected to a diaphragm that is attached to the suspension arm. As the suspension moves, the fluid in the spheres is displaced, which causes the diaphragms to move and the suspension to dampen and spring.

Hydrolastic suspension offers a number of advantages over conventional suspension systems. It is self-levelling, which means that the car's ride height is maintained regardless of the load. It is also very quiet and smooth, and provides excellent damping of road noise and vibration.

However, hydrolastic suspension is also more complex and expensive to manufacture than conventional suspension systems. It is also less durable, and is more likely to fail over time. As a result, hydrolastic suspension is no longer used on any production cars.