System and method for adjusting a damper of a vehicle in anticipation of changing road conditions
A method for adjusting a damper of a vehicle may include receiving a signal from a control, determining that one or more parameter thresholds are not met, increasing a compression resistance of one or more dampers from a first compression resistance to a second compression resistance, determining that an actuation threshold has occurred, and reducing the compression resistance of the one or more dampers from the second compression resistance to or toward the first compression resistance after the actuation threshold has occurred.
1 . A method for adjusting a damper of a vehicle comprising:
receiving a signal from a control;
determining that one or more parameter thresholds are not met;
increasing a compression resistance of one or more dampers from a first compression resistance to a second compression resistance;
determining that an actuation threshold has occurred; and
reducing the compression resistance of the one or more dampers from the second compression resistance to or toward the first compression resistance after the actuation threshold has occurred.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more parameter thresholds include a maximum steering angle of a wheel or that the one or more dampers have been above a predetermined level of compression resistance for a predetermined time or that an amount of actuations of the control per a predetermined amount of time is more than a predetermined amount.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second compression resistance is a maximum compression resistance.
4 . The method of claim 3 wherein the one or more dampers includes front dampers of the vehicle, and the front dampers are adjusted to the maximum compression resistance.
5 . The method of claim 4 , which also includes adjusting the front dampers to a minimum rebound resistance.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein increasing the first compression resistance of the one or more dampers to the second compression resistance includes providing a notification to indicate that the compression resistance of the one or more dampers has been adjusted.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining that an actuation threshold has occurred includes determining that the one or more dampers have been compressed beyond a predetermined amount.
8 . The method of claim 5 , wherein reducing the compress resistance of the one or more dampers from the second compression resistance to or toward the first compression resistance includes reverting the front dampers from the maximum compression resistance to the first compression resistance and reverting the front dampers from the minimum rebound resistance to the rebound resistance prior to adjusting the rebound resistance to the minimum rebound resistance.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of reducing the compression resistance of the one or more dampers includes providing a notification to indicate that the damper compression resistance has been reduced.
10 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the maximum steering angle is 8 degrees or greater.
11 . A vehicle comprising:
a frame configured to support components of the vehicle;
a body supported by the frame, wherein the body defines an exterior of the vehicle and a passenger compartment within the body of the vehicle;
a damper having a first end coupled to the frame and the damper has a second end that is movable relative to the first end;
a wheel coupled with the second end of the damper, wherein the wheel and the second end of the damper can move relative to the frame;
a control actuatable from within the passenger compartment; and
a control system capable of receiving a signal from the control, determining that one or more parameter thresholds are not met, increasing a compression resistance of one or more dampers from a first compression resistance to a second compression resistance, determining that an actuation threshold has occurred, and reducing the compression resistance of the one or more dampers from the second compression resistance to or toward the first compression resistance.
12 . The vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the one or more parameter thresholds include a maximum steering angle of a wheel or that the one or more dampers have been above a predetermined level of compression resistance for a predetermined time or that an amount of actuations of the control per a predetermined amount of time is more than a predetermined amount.
13 . The vehicle of claim 11 , wherein increasing the first compression resistance of the damper to the second compression resistance includes adjusting one or more dampers to a maximum compression resistance.
14 . The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein front dampers of the vehicle are adjusted to the maximum compression resistance.
15 . The vehicle of claim 14 , which also includes adjusting the front dampers to a minimum rebound resistance.
16 . The vehicle of claim 11 , wherein increasing the first compression resistance of the damper to the second compression resistance includes providing a notification to indicate that the compression resistance of the one or more dampers has been adjusted.
17 . The vehicle of claim 11 , wherein determining that an actuation threshold has occurred includes determining that the one or more dampers have been compressed beyond a predetermined amount.
18 . The vehicle of claim 15 , wherein reducing the compression resistance of the one or more dampers from the second compression resistance to or toward the first compression resistance includes reducing the front dampers from the maximum compression resistance to the first compression resistance and increasing the front dampers from the minimum rebound resistance to the rebound resistance prior to adjusting the rebound resistance to the minimum rebound resistance.
19 . The vehicle of claim 11 , wherein reducing the compression resistance of the one or more dampers from the second compression resistance to or toward the first compression resistance includes providing a notification to indicate that the damper compression resistance has been changed.
20 . The vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the maximum steering angle is 8 degrees or greater.