Tenneco’s Monroe Shocks and Struts brand is celebrating its 100th Anniversary. Monroe was established in 1916 in Monroe, Mich., and initially focused on the development and production of tire pumps - a much-needed tool in an era of unpaved roads and comparatively few repair shops.
But the brand’s future — and in many respects the future of automotive suspension technology — was transformed in 1926 with the invention of the Monroe Shock Eliminator. From there, Tenneco and the Monroe brand have achieved recognition as one of the world’s largest manufacturers of suspension components. Today, Tenneco operates 15 world-class engineering centers across five continents and serves more than 25 original equipment manufacturers, including Ford, General Motors, Fiat Chrysler, Honda, Toyota, Volkswagen, BMW and Volvo.
A recent independent consumer clinic surveyed a group of 155 drivers from different vehicle segments that included compact class, upper mid-range vehicles and SUVs to assess the overall driving experience with passive and semi-active suspension systems. More than 94 percent of SUV drivers rated the overall driving experience of those vehicles equipped with semi-active suspension systems as “very good” or “excellent.” Similarly, in the compact car segment, 86 percent of all drivers rated their overall driving experience as “very good” or “excellent,” as did 88 percent of drivers of upper-middle class vehicles. It is clear from these studies that customers want comfort, control, flexibility and safety designed into the automobiles they intend to purchase in the near future.
In on-road testing, also performed by an independent testing institute, drivers rated intelligent suspension systems highly in reaction to improved stability during lane changes, strongly reduced body-roll oscillations during obstacle avoidance maneuvers and improved wheel-to-road contact on wet and broken road surfaces. In fact, during double lane-change tests utilizing a compact car, steering angle correction was reduced 15 percent and side-slip angle was reduced 37 percent. The reduction in body movement was found to bring greater stability, which helps increase comfort and the feeling of safety.
Tenneco’s Monroe Intelligent Suspension platform provides technologies customers can experience, feel and recognize. As these OE-based technologies eventually make their way into your service bay, you will have the opportunity to restore the “like-new” driving experience preferred by so many consumers.
“We will provide the comprehensive technical training and support - combined with quality Monroe replacement components - needed to address these service opportunities,” says Jeff Koviak, vice president and general manager, North America Aftermarket, Tenneco. “That’s the advantage of working with a manufacturer that is a leader both in the OE and replacement markets.”
