Abstract: Aiming at the oversteering trend of a SUV prototype in the steady circular test with full load, a virtual prototype of the vehicle was built using MSC.ADAMS/CAR software, the virtual steady circular tests were performed and validated with the physical prototype test results. By studying the effect of the construction parameters on the vehicle steady circular response, a version incorporating the thickening the antiroll bar of the front suspension, regulating the roll rate distribution of front and rear suspension was put forward, and the comparative analysis of different distributions was performed in the virtual prototype. The results show that when the roll rate proportion of front suspension to rear suspension is modified from 1.2 to 1.8, the oversteering trend was eliminated with a tolerable understeering characterstic. The conclusion was used in the physical prototype, and the suggested version is proved feasible by the test results of modified prototype.

Key words: vehicle engineering, virtual prototype, MSC.ADAMS/CAR, handling stability