2018 Mustang Magnetic Suspension

A passenger car like the Mustang uses conventional shock absorbers, or dampers, which is a more apt name for them as their main function is to dampen oscillations of the springs as the vehicle moves across all types of surfaces.

As a spring compresses it stores energy, and on recoil this energy is released. This release is dampened by the shock absorber and converted into heat energy. Vehicle stability is maintained constantly by the work of the dampers as they help to control the vehicle through braking, acceleration, and cornering.

The conventional damper converts the motion of the spring into heat energy to control movement through the use of hydraulic fluid and small openings called valves. As the shock goes through its range of motion it compresses and rebounds which moves a piston through this hydraulic fluid forcing it through the valves.

The size of these valves controls how much or little dampening effect there is. It is this action that converts the motion into heat energy and plays a large role in how the vehicle handles. Knowing this, you can see why a good shock and spring setup is always on the list of upgrades for any Mustang hot-rodder.

The manufacturer has to consider many factors when designing a vehicle. Ride and handling are at the fore with the current Mustang S550 chassis and a big factor in this is the design of the shock absorbers. 

Ford does a great job with the Mustang, but it always comes down to a compromise between sporty handling and ride comfort. Usually when a manufacturer makes a compromise on a production vehicle, they elect to go a bit softer with the springs and dampers. Aside from the compromise between buyer’s tastes and overall utility, there are engineering factors to overcome in order to strike a balance between nimble corning, stable braking, and comfortable cruising.  

A dampers’ resistance to motion changes with velocity; higher velocities produce greater resistance. More resistance causes a firmer, “sportier” ride but if not matched properly can be downright harsh. 

Less resistance can lead to an excess of body roll, and poor control of the vehicle’s weight. A shock absorber needs to control for fast fluid motions (bumps or holes in road surfaces) and slow fluid motions (body roll through cornering). Typically they’re designed with different valve stages to handle different types of conditions. This is about as adaptive as they get and with today’s technology is still quite clever.

Shock absorber technology has evolved over the years producing solutions to the limitations of conventional designs. Of these advancements is the ability of the shock absorber to adapt to road conditions.

Electronics have been utilized to control ride quality and handling. Various sensors relay road conditions to a computer which in turn can adjust firmness via actuator motors mounted atop the shock. These motors rotate a rod and increase or decrease the size of the oil passages. With these types of dampers, there are still many moving parts which wear our and fail, resulting in poor performance overall.

MagneRide on the S550 Mustang is an adaptive suspension. The magnetic ride replaces the traditional dampers found on passenger cars with monotube dampers that are filled with magnetorheological fluid.

Magnetorheological fluid, or MR fluid, is known as a smart fluid in that its properties can be controlled by applying electric current to it. Electromagnetic coils in the dampers apply the current according to conditions which are measured by various electronic sensors. 

The fluid in the dampers travels faster or slower depending on the amount of current applied to the coils. Less resistance gives a better ride quality. As driver input or road conditions change, the resistance of the fluid is rapidly adjusted which can stiffen or loosen the ride.

There are no moving parts in the MagneRide dampers. With no moving parts, there is nothing to wear out. The MR fluid allows the shock absorbers to adjust almost instantly — 300 times faster than the blink of an eye according to the manufacturer. 

After reading how a traditional damper works, you can begin to understand how this will improve the Mustang’s handling capabilities in all conditions making it sharper and safer.

The MagneRide suspension available for 2018 on all model S550 Mustangs overcomes the limitations of conventional shock absorbers - mainly the compromise between comfort and sharp handling. 

With its ability to constantly adapt precisely and almost instantly to any change in road conditions, MagneRide allows the Mustang to corner flatter and stop safer giving the driver increased control and confidence. This feature brings an exotic European suspension to the American muscle car to truly make it a global performance machine.