Roll Moment


THE DEFINITION AS EXPLAINED BY BRUCE GRIGGS

Roll Moment is the torque that rolls the sprung mass in a corner, equal to the lateral force at the center of gravity multiplied by its height above the roll axis. It is what the suspension’s roll stiffness must resist, so for the same cornering force it can be reduced only by lowering the center of gravity or by raising the roll centers to shorten the lever arm between them. The magnitude of the roll moment determines the body roll angle, and its distribution between the axles determines how the resulting lateral load transfer splits front to rear. Note that reducing roll moment by raising roll centers is not free, because higher roll centers increase jacking forces and change the camber behavior of the suspension.