2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse - suspension
The 2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse's suspension provides refined ride and nimble handling characteristics. A wide track (61.8 inches, front and rear) and long wheelbase (101.4 inches) help to endow the Eclipse with a secure, comfortable, and responsive ride, even over harsh road surfaces. The Eclipse's all-new chassis and four-wheel-independent suspension are engineered to deliver high levels of both performance and comfort.
Front Suspension
The Eclipse's front wheels utilize the proven MacPherson front suspension design to provide the precise control and superior handling capability that sporty car buyers demand. Large-diameter strut cylinders and coil springs are matched according to the mass of the wheels, tires, and vehicle weight in order to deliver the best combination of ride and agility.
Each strut uses a gas-charged insert to dampen the road's imperfections, and a large urethane bump stopper helps to absorb road shock and keeps the suspension from bottoming out. The front coil spring pressures are optimized to strike the ideal balance between ride compliance and responsive, sporty handling. The Eclipse's front strut assemblies ride on large, reinforced steel lower control arms. These stout control arms are supported by a rigid, steel crossmember that spans between the control arm mounting points, eliminating lateral movement of the control arms and helping to maintain a consistent suspension geometry, which results in improved handling. This large low-profile crossmember was designed without a "kick-up" in its main section and increases rigidity at the suspension mounting points while helping to reduce weight.
The design of Eclipse's flat suspension crossmember also allows for an optimized, lower steering box mounting position which realizes more linear toe changes and improves the vehicle's straight-line handling on uneven surfaces. The lower control arms swing from the chassis using rubber bushings made of more compliant material in the top half of the bushing shell to reduce the harshness of road input. A harder rubber material maintains the shape of the lower half of the bushing shell to help improve cornering performance. The movement of the long control arms was engineered to generate 190 mm of wheel stroke to help Eclipse's suspension adapt to various road surfaces. This enables more effective and predictable toe and camber changes across a given range of movement for superior traction and control on uneven surfaces. All new Eclipse models are equipped with a 22 mm front stabilizer bar that is attached to the struts using ball joints; the bar's friction surfaces are Teflon(TM) coated, which helps the stabilizer respond quickly to suspension changes with smoother movement. In addition, the Eclipse's hub unit is designed to use angular contact wheel bearings that help lower friction and improve ride while reducing noise and drag.
Rear Suspension
The independent rear suspension of the new Eclipse is a sophisticated low-mount, multi-link arrangement. This design helps the Eclipse achieve excellent ride quality and handling stability while offering a low cargo floor in the trunk. The low-profile positioning of the entire rear suspension-with its strategic location of coil springs, arms, shock absorbers, links, and reduced mounting point height-helps to position the vehicle's mass lower in the chassis, optimizing the Eclipse's center of gravity for handling.
At the rear, gas-charged shocks and coil springs absorb and help the Eclipse negotiate road imperfections as long, lower control arms track over the tarmac's surface. Strong rear trailing arms mounted with large, vibration-absorbing rear bushings and rigid upper arm help provide increased stability. The reduced height of the insulation system used atop the shock and coil spring has also helped reduce the suspension's intrusion into the trunk area. A large lattice structure made of steel helps increase suspension rigidity - and provides a dramatic reduction in the ability of vibration and road noise to penetrate the passenger cabin.
In an effort to provide superior handling, suspension designers made the rear suspension control arms as long as possible to maximize the movement of the independent suspension and to allow for optimal toe and camber changes over uneven surfaces. Large-diameter rubber suspension bushings located at the friction points of the lower arms and upper arms also help reduce the vibration and road noise that are transmitted by the suspension's steel links and control arms. In addition, an eccentric cam in the lower arm mounting points and the toe control arm can allow for the slight tuning of toe and camber.
As with the front suspension, the Eclipse incorporates a stabilizer bar that attaches to the rear lower control arm (20 mm on GS and 21 mm on GT) and uses ball joints for less restricted movement. In addition, the suspension bump stopper is made of a resilient urethane material to offer superior shock absorption properties and to prevent the suspension from exceeding its travel.
Power Steering
The 2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse relies on a hydraulic rack-and-pinion power steering system to offer the direct, responsive steering feel and control that drivers expect from a sporty car. The low positioning of the steering assembly on the front crossmember helps improve steering feel and response with a more linear path for the control links to the knuckle arms and front hubs. The power steering gearbox is attached to the crossmember using rubber bushings engineered with multi-directional hardness that offer support for front-to-rear movement and increased compliance for lateral movement. The Eclipse's speed-sensitive hydraulic power steering pump reduces its fluid flow at higher speeds to increase the steering effort at highway speeds. This system maximizes power multiplication in slow-speed situations such as parking, and helps provide a safer, more enjoyable driving experience. The new Eclipse power steering ratio is 17.07 versus 18.34 for the previous model.
Steering Wheel
The 2006 Eclipse is equipped with a stylish four-spoke steering wheel crafted for a modern appearance. Depending on the vehicle's trim level or selected options package, the steering wheel is made of supple urethane or sport touch (leather-like) material to help provide the driver with superior tactile control. The Eclipse GS and GT are equipped with an easily accessible cruise control switch that is mounted behind the steering wheel. When the optional premium audio system is ordered, the steering wheel is equipped with convenient audio controls. The steering wheel is attached to a tilt-column that allows drivers to adjust their driving position and to allow for an easier entry and exit from the vehicle. In the interest of driver safety, the steering column shaft is designed to collapse during a collision to reduce the risk of driver injury. The Eclipse's steering column shaft is secured by a fall-away bracket and a slide plates mounting system with ripping plates that allows the column to better absorb impact energy in the event of a collision.
Braking System
The Eclipse is equipped with a vacuum-assisted four-wheel-disc braking system that includes vented front discs and solid or vented rear discs. The ventilated front rotors measure 11.6 inches in diameter for both the Eclipse GS and GT. The GS uses 10.3-inch solid rear discs, while the GT gets 11.2-inch ventilated rear discs for added stopping power. The Eclipse utilizes a powerful dual-piston caliper design up front with a single-piston caliper at the rear. Anti-lock braking with Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD) is standard equipment on both the Eclipse GS and the Eclipse GT.
Wheels and Tires
The 2006 Eclipse GS and GT both come equipped with standard 17-inch, five-spoke aluminum wheels. An optional 18-inch, seven-spoke aluminum wheel is available on GT models as part of the Premium Sport Package. Eclipse models that are equipped with 17-inch wheels wear P225/50R17 all-season radial tires, while the 18-inch wheel combination includes 235/45R18 V-rated tires. The Eclipse wheels and tire combinations are specified to help deliver an ideal balance between handling stability, ride comfort, and reduced road noise on tarmac.
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