How many types of common trailer air suspensions are there? What is the difference between forward suspension and reverse suspension?
Publish Time: 2024-11-29
Air suspension has a long history of use in automobiles. As early as 1914, the first automobile product equipped with air suspension came out. In 1944, air suspension began to be used in buses and coaches. In the 1960s, air suspension quickly became popular in the commercial vehicle field in Europe and the United States. In the 1990s, air suspension was introduced to China and began to be used in passenger cars and buses and gradually extended to the field of freight vehicles.Compared with traditional suspension, air suspension is light in weight and small in weight, which conforms to the industry trend of "lightweight"; it has excellent shock absorption effect and good cargo protection effect; the height can be freely adjusted, and it can realize single-bridge or multi-bridge lifting and lowering, saving energy and reducing consumption, while facilitating loading and unloading of goods; it is also conducive to reducing tire wear, protecting vehicle chassis components, and reducing the overall cost of vehicle use to a certain extent.
As an important component of modern trailers, the design and function of air suspension vary depending on the application scenarios and needs. The following are the common classifications and characteristics of air suspensions:1. European air suspensionEuropean air suspension occupies an important position in the trailer field with its unique design and superior performance. Its biggest feature is that the guide arm is similar to the traditional leaf spring structure, presenting a one-piece or multi-piece type, usually directly forged, so it has stronger load-bearing performance. In addition, the guide arm of the European air suspension is a flexible structure with a certain bending elasticity, which makes it more shock-filtering and can provide the airbag with a longer active stroke, thereby achieving better shock absorption.European air suspension is suitable for trailers with high requirements for driving quality, such as long-distance transport vehicles that need to travel frequently under complex road conditions. Its superior handling and comfort allow drivers to maintain a high level of comfort during long-term driving and reduce fatigue.2. American air suspensionCompared with European air suspension, American air suspension presents another style. Its characteristics are the rigid "I-beam" type buckled guide arm, which is generally made of steel plate stamping, welding or casting. It looks like a whole in appearance and belongs to a rigid connection structure. This design makes the American air suspension perform well in terms of load-bearing, and the lateral support of the vehicle is also better.However, the airbag stroke of the American air suspension is relatively short and the shock absorption is slightly poor, so it is more suitable for use in environments with good road conditions. In addition, the front bracket of the American air suspension is smaller, and the theoretical self-weight is relatively lighter, which is an advantage for transportation scenarios that require strict control of the vehicle's own weight.3. Installation method of air suspensionThe installation method of air suspension is mainly divided into two types: forward installation and reverse installation:Forward suspension: The guide arm of the forward suspension is above the axle and directly bears the weight of the vehicle body. This installation method makes the suspension structure relatively simple and easy to maintain and replace. The forward suspension has a stronger load-bearing capacity and a more obvious shock absorption effect. It is suitable for medium and large trucks or transportation scenarios with high load-bearing requirements.Reverse suspension: The reverse suspension is to change the suspension originally installed above the axle to the bottom of the axle, and reinforce it with riding screws and the lower card plate and invisible bow support. This installation method reduces the height of the vehicle body and makes the center of gravity lower, thereby improving the vehicle's passability on height-restricted roads and increasing the cargo capacity. However, the load-bearing capacity of the reverse suspension is mainly borne by the riding screws. Once the screws break, the consequences will be disastrous. Therefore, when choosing a reverse suspension, special attention should be paid to its quality and safety.In general, whether it is European or American air suspension, and the choice of forward and reverse installation methods, it needs to be determined according to specific transportation needs and road conditions. When choosing an air suspension, in addition to considering its performance characteristics, it is also necessary to pay attention to its quality and safety to ensure the stability and safety of the trailer.About TND
TND Axle is a national high-tech group company specializing in the research and development, design and manufacturing of heavy-duty vehicle parts such as trailers and semi-trailers. It has obtained multiple international quality standard certifications such as IATF 16949:2016. The main products are: American axles, German axles, air suspensions, bogie suspensions, mechanical suspensions and other trailer parts, with an annual output of about 100,000 sets of axle series and 20,000 sets of suspension series. TND has innovated and improved on the basis of military technology, creating a new era of seamless steel pipe hot extrusion one-piece thickened axles. This advanced technology can greatly improve the strength, rigidity and fatigue life of the axle beam and reduce the risk of fatigue fracture of the axle. We have our own patented thermoforming machine and other advanced equipment, including: fatigue testing machine, ultrasonic flaw detector, Brinell hardness tester, thickness gauge, spectrometer, metallographic analyzer, coordinate measuring machine, etc., and are supported by professional engineers in our R&D department and a strict quality control team.TND Axle's industry experience has won the trust and welcome of the majority of users. We will continue to provide high-quality trailers, semi-trailers and other heavy-duty vehicle parts and good after-sales service to new and old customers, and develop together! TND looks forward to working with you to create a brilliant and win-win future.
