In the world of competitive vehicle dynamics, suspension setup is rarely about finding a single perfect setting. It is a game of constant trade-offs. To win, a car needs enough compliance to keep the tires planted over uneven track surfaces, but it also needs enough roll stiffness to limit body lean and maintain traction through corners.
Often, the end result is a static compromise. This is a setup that is stiff enough for aggressive cornering but soft enough for an endurance track. The Jayhawk Motorsports Racing Team developed an even better solution - a tunable suspension setup using micro actuators. By integrating Actuonix L16 series actuators into their chassis, they created a platform capable of shifting its handling balance in real-time.
Technical Specifications: For more info about the specific product used in this application, you check check out our L16 Actuator Product Page
The Mechanical Tuning Strategy
The stiffness of a traditional anti-roll bar (ARB) is a fixed value dictated by the physical properties of the torsion bar itself. Traditionally, changing how the car reacts to a corner requires the car to be stationary and the suspension to be unloaded to swap hardware.
The Jayhawk design bypassed this downtime by using the L16 to physically move the linkage point along the ARB blade or lever arm. By changing the point where force is applied, the team essentially turned mechanical leverage into a controllable variable, modifying the effective roll stiffness without changing the bar itself.
- Shortening the arm: Decreases the lever's length. This gives the suspension less mechanical advantage over the bar, which effectively stiffens the vehicle's resistance to body roll.
- Lengthening the arm: Increases mechanical leverage, making it easier for the suspension to twist the bar. This softens the setup, allowing for better grip and compliance on rougher sections of the track.
The L16 was implemented here specifically because of its power-to-weight ratio. Weighing as little as 56g (depending on stroke length), it can provide up to 45lbs of force. This is enough to shift a linkage while replacing what would have traditionally been a much heavier, more complex hydraulic or large-scale motor-driven system. In a platform where every ounce of unsprung weight negatively affects handling, the lightweight L16 has a significant advantage.
Strategy: Front vs. Rear Dynamics
The team’s implementation shows a distinct technical strategy for the front and rear of the vehicle. Handling balance isn't a static metric. It is a relationship between the two assemblies that changes depending on where the car is in a corner.
Front ARB: Entry and Turn-in
At the front of the vehicle, the actuator adjusts the blade angle to manage body roll during initial turn-in. By keeping the front of the car level, the team ensured the tire contact patches remained optimal. This prevents the understeer (or plowing) that occurs when the front tires are overloaded and lose their ability to direct the vehicle effectively. This is particularly vital in tight technical sections where a crisp front-end response is the difference between hitting a clip or missing it.
Rear ARB: Mid-Corner Rotation and Exit
The rear configuration focuses on balance and traction. Stiffening the rear assembly helps the car rotate or pivot through tight corners, helping the rear end follow the front's lead. Conversely, softening it on corner exit allows the rear tires to find maximum mechanical grip as the driver applies throttle, preventing the rear from stepping out unexpectedly.
This ability to adjust the vehicle's yaw response—transitioning from a car that pivots eagerly at the apex to one that is stable and planted on exit, is the hallmark of a high-performance active system. While this specific collaboration with the Jayhawk team represents a legacy partnership, the engineering remains a benchmark for active suspension. It demonstrates how high-precision linear motion can turn a static mechanical assembly into a reactive system that adapts to the track as fast as the driver can react. This level of integration moves the car beyond traditional fixed tuning and into the realm of dynamic chassis optimization, where the vehicle's fundamental handling characteristics are reshaped in real-time.
Technical FAQ: Actuonix in High-Performance Environments
How do Actuonix actuators handle high-vibration automotive environments?
High-frequency vibration is the primary enemy of precision electronics and gear-driven systems. While the L16 is robust, successful integration in racing environments often involves ensuring the actuator is not a primary structural member. The actuator should be used for positioning the linkage, but the system should have its own mechanical hard stops to ensure the actuator's internal gears aren't absorbing the massive kinetic shocks of a suspension bottom-out. For mounting in high-vibration environments, we always recommend doing your own application-specific testing to ensure that the chosen actuator can meet your performance requirements.
What are the benefits of using the -P (Potentiometer) version for suspension?
Repeatability is the difference between a hack and a professional setup. Position feedback allows the vehicle's onboard controller to verify exactly where the ARB linkage is positioned at any given moment. This closed-loop control ensures that adjustments are symmetrical, consistent, and predictable for the driver across every lap of a race.
Are these actuators sealed against track debris and moisture?
Standard L16 models have an IP rating of 54, which is appropriate for most use cases. That said, track environments can introduce tire rubber, dust, and high-pressure spray. For applications mounted low on a chassis, we recommend mounting the actuator in a location that is as protected from the elements as practical. A custom enclosure can also be a good solution con consider.
Moving From Theory to Application
At the end of the day, understanding how linear motion integrates with mechanical leverage is key to setting your project up for long-term success. While it’s tempting to simply pick a high-power actuator and hope for the best, the most reliable designs—like the Jayhawk Motorsports active suspension—are those that respect the mechanical limits of the motor and the realities of the operating environment.
If you need assistance selecting a product that meets your application requirements, please contact our sales team for assistance. Actuonix can create custom designs for all OEMs.
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