Modification of front wheel drive vehicle engine mounting system for reduction of drive-away shudder

Vehicle take off shudder is sensitively felt by customers when the vehicle is driven at a low speed under drive away acceleration. The take-off shudder is complained of significantly by customers according to after sales statistics. Under an engine torque and half shaft angle, the drive-away shudder usually occurs during acceleration to a specific low speed, which makes the vehicle shakes severely. Aiming to provide a thorough investigation with possible design optimization of mounting system to reduce this lateral vibration, this paper focuses on a small car, the take-off shudder of which occurs at the speeds between 20Km/h and 30Km/h. A 12 Degree of Freedom (DOF) rigid body model will be established to simulate the engine and body system. The design of powertrain mounting system will be modified to achieve the reduction of the shudder level.