Front suspension elements
1 - rotary fist; 2 - thrust of the steering trapezoid; 3 - sealing cuff of the steering mechanism; 4 - steering gear; 5 - upper steering shaft; 6 - shock absorber strut; 7 - lower steering shaft; 8 - lower cardan joint with a steering shaft crosspiece; 9 - brake disc; 10 - clamp of the brake mechanism; 11 - left transverse arm of independent wheel suspension; 12 - drive shaft; 13 - auxiliary frame of the front axle and engine-gearbox systems; 14 - right transverse arm of independent wheel suspension.
The main node of the Renault 19 front suspension is the design developed by the engineer of the company «Ford» named McPherson. This independent wheel suspension system for the front axle, already patented in 1949, optimally combines shock absorber, spring and the pivoting wheel hub required for steering into a single structural unit.
MacPherson strut upper thrust bearing (McPherson) forms a free rubber support in the dome of the shock absorber strut, which is fixed in the centered upper and lower discs. The shock absorber piston rod of the shock absorber strut is screwed into the thrust bearing. The lower end of the shock absorber strut is attached with 2 bolts to the rotating part of the wheel hub, to the steering knuckle.
The steering knuckle is connected through a ball joint with a transverse lever, which is movably fastened on its side by means of silent blocks to the body side member. In this way, the wishbone of the independent wheel suspension can absorb the incoming lateral forces. The left and right spars with fastening for both transverse levers are at the same time auxiliary frames and auxiliary beams for the engine-gearbox system. On some models, both control arms are connected to a stabilizer bar bolted to the body, which is bolted to the control arm ball joint.