On a rear wheel drive vehicle equipped with a solid axle and coil springs, the differential assembly is which type of weight?

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Multiple Choice

On a rear wheel drive vehicle equipped with a solid axle and coil springs, the differential assembly is which type of weight?

In suspension terms, sprung weight is the portion of the vehicle’s mass that is supported by and moves with the body, while unsprung weight includes components that move with the wheel and are not directly carried by the body. With a solid axle and coil springs, the differential sits on the axle housing and moves up and down with the wheel as the suspension responds to road irregularities. The springs support the body, not the wheel assembly, so the differential/axle assembly is considered unsprung weight. Its rotation doesn’t change this classification; rotating weight is a separate consideration, but for this question the relevant distinction is that the differential is part of the wheel/axle set that moves independently of the body.

In suspension terms, sprung weight is the portion of the vehicle’s mass that is supported by and moves with the body, while unsprung weight includes components that move with the wheel and are not directly carried by the body.

With a solid axle and coil springs, the differential sits on the axle housing and moves up and down with the wheel as the suspension responds to road irregularities. The springs support the body, not the wheel assembly, so the differential/axle assembly is considered unsprung weight. Its rotation doesn’t change this classification; rotating weight is a separate consideration, but for this question the relevant distinction is that the differential is part of the wheel/axle set that moves independently of the body.

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