Honda Car Forum

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2007 Honda Fit Chassis

Overview

The compact design of the Fit's front suspension and rear suspension allows
for a large passenger cabin with a low floor height for maximum interior space.
The Fit uses a MacPherson strut front suspension and a torsion beam rear suspension
that provides excellent handling characteristics and ride quality. The Fit's
front MacPherson strut suspension has geometry that contributes to the Fit's
stable straight-line tracking and fun-to-drive cornering ability.

Similar to the steering systems used on the 2006 Civic Si and Civic Hybrid,
Fit utilizes an electric power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering system (EPS)
to provide quick response with minimal effort from the driver. Its high-output
brushless motor also contributes to improved fuel efficiency by eliminating
the constant load on the engine from a hydraulic pump.

Fit Chassis Highlights

• MacPherson strut front suspension


• Torsion beam rear suspension


• ABS with Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD)


• Electric Power Steering (EPS)


• Standard 14-inch steel wheels for Fit, 15-inch alloy wheels for Fit Sport

Fit employs a sophisticated anti-lock braking system (ABS) with ventilated
discs in the front and drums in the rear. The ABS system has electronic brake
distribution (EBD), which varies braking force from front to rear based on dynamics
associated with vehicle load. Fit's braking performance provides a direct
and linear feel consistent with its fun-to-drive character. Standard equipment
includes 14-inch steel wheels on the base model and 15-inch alloy wheels on
the Fit Sport.

MacPherson Strut Front Suspension

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Fit's MacPherson strut front suspension geometry includes a high caster
angle and caster trail for straight line stability and optimum toe control during
cornering. With these characteristics, Fit's front suspension provides
sharp, responsive steering and exceptional straight line control, which is further
aided by a quick steering ratio, bushing tuning, rigid control arms and mounting
points, and spring and damper tuning. Similar to the setup in the new 2006 Civic,
Fit's front strut suspension also provides more stable cornering by allowing
the inner wheel to remain closer to vertical throughout a greater range of travel,
which improves tire adhesion compared to conventional strut suspensions.


To provide good ride comfort, the compliance angle on the lower control arm
is optimized to transmit less harshness. Further settings include a minimal
center offset with the wheel to minimize the potential for torque steer and
transfer of road imperfections from the tires to the steering.

Torsion Beam Rear Suspension

This H-shaped torsion beam was chosen for its compact size allowing for a lower
cargo floor and maximum interior volume. To achieve high handling performance
and ride comfort, the rear roll geometry and rates for springs and dampers are
optimized for a stable and secure feel.

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Electric Power Steering

To further reduce fuel consumption and to increase the "crisp" steering
feel, the Fit employs an Electric Power Steering (EPS) system similar to that
used in the 2006 Civic Si and Civic Hybrid. This electric steering gear box
contributes to improved fuel efficiency by eliminating the constant load on
the engine from a hydraulic pump. Instead, a high-output brushless motor replaces
the oil pump to further improve the overall fuel efficiency of Fit.

Braking System

The Fit has 10.3-inch ventilated front discs and 7.9-inch rear drum brakes.
Vehicle stopping is further enhanced by a standard 4-channel Anti-lock Braking
System (ABS) and Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD). The standard ABS incorporates
wheel sensors at each wheel to modulate braking pressure. With this type of
system, the ABS control unit is able to monitor wheel speed at each wheel and
adjust braking pressure to each of the front drive wheels and rear wheels independently.

The potential for wheel lockup is greatly reduced in virtually all driving
conditions, including situations where one side of the vehicle has significantly
less traction than the other. The ABS system enhances the Fit's ability
to maintain steering control during hard braking in normal and adverse road
conditions.

Wheels and tires

Fit comes standard with 14x5.5-inch steel wheels (with wheel covers) and P175/65R14
81S tires. With Fit Sport, larger 15x6-inch alloy wheels with P195/55R15 84H
tires are standard (shown at left). Accessory alloy wheels and tires from the
Honda Factory Performance division are available for Fit and Fit Sport in a
16x6.5-inch size and a bronze finish (shown at right). Accessory tires are P205/45R16
83W performance tires.

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