­


1980s 1988-GMC-Sierra-AR400a

Published on December 21st, 2020 | by BajaBusta

0

1988: GMC Sierra AR400

1988-GMC-Sierra-AR400b

Ever since General Motors acquired a controlling interest in Group Lotus, its divisions experimented with active suspension. GMC applied this technology to a four-wheel-drive pickup truck, a special Sierra 400 built for the 1988 Chicago Auto Show.

Just as in the revolutionary Lotus 88 racing car, the Sierra featured a computer-controlled hydraulic actuator at each wheel in place of a conventional shock absorber.  Displacement, load, and acceleration sensors fed input to a large computer, which in turn actuated the suspension through a high-volume hydraulic pump.  In prototype form, the active-ride system added 400 pounds to the truck’s weight.

The active ride (hence, A/R) suspension promoted crisper transitions on the highway.  Off-road, it smothered washboard surfaces, prevented bottoming, and did a good job of isolating the cab from the turmoil at ground level.  The only drawback was the oversized hydraulic pump absorbed 40 bhp of the engine’s output.



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,


About the Author



Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Back to Top ↑