Manufacturers are taking the next steps in improving suspensions for heavy duty vehicles with advancements such as air damping to help extend maintenance intervals, as well as the overall lifecycle of the vehicles.
As more equipment is added to the truck or trailer to meet new regulations, the overall vehicle weight continues to be a prominent factor. Lighter designs that do not sacrifice durability is becoming more important. Fleets are also looking for ways to reduce operating costs, which drives new ways to extend component life and reduce maintenance requirements.
Reducing the number of suspension wear components, such as shock absorbers, eliminates a periodic maintenance issue. Long-life wheel end equipment can also extend the time required between maintenance intervals. In addition, suspension option development, such as advanced tire pressure maintenance systems, can help extend tire life and the life of suspension-related components.
Hendrickson's Zero Maintenance Damping (ZMD) system reduces the number of maintenance items by removing the shock absorbers and designing the suspension damping function into the air spring. This system adjusts to the trailer's load improving the ride whether it's loaded or unloaded.
When it comes to keeping vehicle loads balanced and evenly distributed while maintaining its structural integrity, one would have to use a walking beam rear suspension to ensure that the load is truly equal between tandem rear axles. With an integrated system such as Hendrickson's AIRTEK NXT Front Air Suspension and Steer Axle System Hendrickson has taken all key variables into account to offer advanced ride characteristics for approved applications.
Information provided by: Hendrickson
