Beam Axle
A one-piece forging across the width of the car to carry the front wheels. It is now obsolete with the universal use of independent front suspension. Used widely before the advent of
independent front suspension, beam axles became more prevalent as part of the
rear suspension set-up of
front wheel drive cars through the 1970’s and 1980’s. They are a one-piece solid transverse members usually suspended on coil springs, but in the case of heavy commercial vehicles they are used as a
front suspension component in conjunction with leaf springs.
