Monday, September 13, 2010

How Does a Truck Suspension Enhancement System Work?

Suspension enhancement system or kits are designed to supercharge the performance of the suspension in a heavily loaded vehicle. Suspension Enhancement Systems are designed to work in conjunction with a truck suspension that is in good condition, i.e., if you have a badly sagging truck suspension, a SES is installed to uplift the suspension and a stable, smooth, safe ride is guaranteed. It is engineered in such a way that the hollow rubber cushions absorb road shocks and automatically adjust to uneven loads or road conditions.

The core functions of SESs are:

1. To carry heavy weights over the roughest roads with ease.

2. To reduce excessive trailer sway.

3. To improve stability when cornering, swerving or in high wind situations.

4. To protect truck suspensions from sagging.

5. To improve body rolling or weight transfer.

Let's probe the engineering behind the core functions in detail. When the truck is loaded, the springs are responsible for absorbing all of the shocks like bedrock and provide a smooth ride. This will cause the vehicle to feel unstable during cornering, and it is therefore advisable for a spring to be placed at an appropriate vehicle rate height. The more distance a spring compresses or extends, the more the vehicle "rolls" around on its suspension and causes instability. This rolling is called weight transfer, and it is caused by centrifugal force acting on the weight of the vehicle as it goes around a corner. Weight transfer can overload a tire's grip, which ultimately hurts traction, and therefore handling.

Suspension Enhancement Systems are mounted between the chassis and the axle of the truck. They can be installed easily with the help of basic hand tools within few minutes. They work in concurrence with the existing suspension to improve the ride of the vehicle and to protect the springs against overloading, road shocks, bottoming out, swaying and spring failure, while at the same time maintaining the factory ride when unloaded.

Like all other components of a truck, the SES also has a full stabilizer kit meant for specific applications. They range from the smallest utility vehicle to giant heavy duty applications.

Towing and Plowing Applications:

o Once you have a suspension enhancement system installed on to your tow vehicle you can ride with peace of mind knowing that your suspension can handle the extra stress.

o Suspension Enhancement Systems are designed to provide a safe and level ride for plowing snow in the toughest of environments, be it a pickup or a highway truck.

The capacity rating of the suspension enhancement system is equally proportionate to the approximate capacity of the rubber springs. The rubber springs are capable of absorbing most of the road shocks that are being generated by the road surface. The spring rate of the SES provides an incredibly smooth ride when loaded as well as when empty.

SES are low in maintenance, no holes are drilled while installation, and therefore there are no airlines or fittings to allow leaks.

Conclusion:

Always fix the load carrying capacity of your truck; even after you have added an SES to your trucks suspension, ensure that the truck does not exceed the specified Gross Vehicle Weight.

Friday, September 10, 2010

Truck Suspension and Level Ride


It is very important that your truck is fitted with the best truck suspension to ensure smooth journey and avoid wear and tear which might result in costly maintenance. To reduce truck suspension fatigue, springs are used to keep the vehicle at level from sagging under loads, relying on air bag suspension.

How Does Air Suspension Level Rides?

Air suspension which replaces conventional steel springs uses air bags to pressurize the air and uses compressed air as a spring. The air cushion produced by the spring lessens and softens contact between the axle and the spring. It stabilizes the vehicle and levels it providing a proper and safe headlight aim. The air pressure is adjusted to compensate for loads. Hence the vehicle is leveled and sway is eliminated giving vent to a smooth ride.

How do Air Bags Help?

The air lift air bags and the air spring kits are used to level trucks reducing the vehicle's sag and sway for a smoother and safer ride. The air pressure is adjusted with rugged, durable components which can be installed easily and quickly with the help of common tools.

Air bags which have replaced the standard coil springs at each wheel have sensors to maintain the truck at level and especially at sharp turns.

When the truck faces obstacles and inconsistencies on the road, air suspension is adjusted to allow the truck to sit low and rise to levels higher enough to be maneuvered. This air adjustability tunes your truck suspension under any circumstance when heavily loaded and on any type of road conditions.

Remember to add air when loading or towing and remove air for a softer ride when unloaded.

Three Types of Air Lift Leveling Systems

i) Air Lift 1000 gives your truck an extra rear support with massive backwheel tracking when fully loaded. It can shoulder a capacity of 1000 lbs loading

ii) Ride Control has quality and gives a sturdy support of towing and hauling up to a capacity of 2000 lbs. Yet it delivers the perfect balance of a smooth ride

iii) Load Lifter 5000 is of higher strength and gives your truck the massive support to handle the heaviest loads handling up to 5000 lbs

Benefits of Air Lift Leveling Systems

• It is a digital electronic system that manages air pressure.

• It is filled with air. So its goodbye to sags, sway, bottoming out, rolls, and rough ride.

• It controls the firmness of air bags and air suspension.

• The durable air springs maximize your truck load capacity through the use of air pressure.

• The air spring keeps your vehicle's front-end down.

• It fills both sides of your truck evenly or when you have off-centre load bolstering one side.

• It adds more air when you tow or haul and lets the air out when you are commuting.

• It is built with superior natural rubber or polyurethane that is molded tough.

• It is leak-free, non-corrosive, and easy to connect.

• It adjusts self-leveling springs.

• It helps to increase load capacity.

• It gives you total control of your hauling.

• It has auto-level feature.

• It gives you maximum control of your ride.

• It lends a perfect, smooth ride comfort.

• It reduces suspension fatigue.

• It increases vehicle comfort and stability.

• Your truck can carry loads from 1000 to 1500 lbs.

Truck suspension with air springs offers a comfortable ride, and increases truck control, monitoring and adjusting air pressure to automatically maintain a level ride

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

What Are the Truck Suspension Enhancement Systems For a Snow Removal Truck?

The truck suspension enhancement systems have proved to be a reliable mechanism in a snow removal truck, especially in areas of heavy snowfall. The snow removal truck has been specified by the Highways Department, the Municipality, and the State as the safest level ride to plough snow in the toughest terrain.

How Does a Truck Suspension Enhancement System Help?

Truck suspension system is designed to enhance the performance of your snow removal truck. The truck is made to carry heavy loads with ease. The system reduces sway and improves roll stability as it absorbs road shocks and automatically adjusts to uneven loads and road conditions. It minimizes wear and tear and minimizes maintenance costs. If you have a good quality truck suspension system installed then fear no road, terrain, or climate.

Installing the Snow Plough

Usually, when the snow plough is fixed in front of the snow removal truck, its weight will sag and stress, causing damages to the front end due to uneven weight distribution. Moreover, there is less power transfer from the rear tires.

Front application kits with front mount accessories like the plough, grill or bush guards should be fitted to your snow removal truck. Powerful hollow rubber springs can help the plough to carry additional weight. These absorb load shocks and provide a cushioned ride. The rubber springs will always bounce back to its original position. Hence, your truck suspension will last longer.

Solutions to Problems

The snow removal truck may face problems, such as load capacity, damaged suspensions, instability and unleveled ride, sags and stress in front, and bottoming out due to uneven weight distribution.

The following might help you to handle these problems.

• High performance suspension enhancement kits are specified for use.

• Your snow plough should have a high center of gravity.

• The truck should possess a complete line of front and rear suspension stabilizer kits.

• Added leaf springs are to be used to carry the rear load.

• Each spring should work independent of other springs to handle off-center loads in the truck.

• A single bolt should hold the mounting bracket and rubber cushion tight with small unit. This unit will absorb the additional weight to keep the vehicle at level.

• Leveling the vehicle increases stability and handling, especially when hauling the snow.

• In case the snow plough is removed, the normal activity of the suspension will not be hampered - it does not affect the unloaded ride of the vehicle.

• The weight will be distributed to the rear tires without any strain and without any front damage.

• The drivers are facilitated to maintain a safe ride.

• The suspension prevents bottoming out of the truck.

• The vehicle suspension's lifetime is increased as the rubber springs become the shock absorbers.

• The vehicle is allowed to use its own suspension when unloaded.

• It facilitates high-speed maneuvering without any compromises on the quality of ride

Benefits of Truck Suspension Enhancement System

It increases spring life and load capacity, maintains a smooth level ride at all times with trouble-free maintenance. It is easy to install, guarantees satisfaction and ensures a lifetime warranty.

The truck suspension enhancement system reduces maintenance cost especially when the rubber springs bear up with the added load in the snow removal truck. And best of all, its simple installation which can be done in one hour gives you peace of mind and the confidence to face all roads, terrains, and climatic conditions.

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Are There Specific Heavy Duty Suspension Systems For Off-Road Trucks?


Some of you might be interested in off-road trucks. When you say off-road trucks, you must prepare yourself and your truck to handle all kinds of terrains and roads. Heavy duty suspension systems ensure smooth journey and so make sure that your truck is installed with the best heavy duty suspension systems to handle all kinds of roads and terrains; in short, your truck should be well equipped as a heavy military vehicle would to face all terrains, roads and climate.

Well, if you are contemplating off-road trucks with a combination of long-term survival and self-sufficiency, reliability, durability, safety, capability, and comfort, then the following points might help you.

How does it Work?

Heavy duty suspension systems for heavy duty, off-road trucks incorporate unique axle connections that distribute the load more evenly, over a wide footprint. They are designed for durability and a better ride and are engineered for all standard heavy duty trailer applications, including platforms and drop decks, dump trailers, and fixed-axle vans. Its tri-functional bushings at pivot points improve ride stability and driver comfort. An induction hardened camshaft system produces less suspension wear and longer operational life.

These heavy duty suspension systems are manufactured for heavy-haul vehicles such as those used in logging and mining, but the suspension is also appropriate for tankers, livestock and grain trailers, and container chassis. Its beams and axles are designed to live longer in off-road and other applications.

Braking systems are critical components with heavy duty, off-road vehicles and these customized suspensions include brake shoes as standard equipment. The suspension lift kits also minimize front-end dive caused by heavy braking. It is extremely important for it to have front lift kits which increase the off-road trucks center of gravity and cause extra body-roll.

For a street-driven application emulsion shocks are more than enough, but in off-road conditions a reservoir shock is recommended which subjects the shocks to excessive heat by increasing the oil capacity. The four corner shafts will help give more resistance to compression and act more like an air spring in heavier trucks whether it is in the desert, dunes, mud, or on the trail.

Coil over shocks are customized shock absorbers for desert cars, pre-runners, sand rails, rock crawlers, dune buggies, and many more off-road and racing conditions. A coil over shock has more easily adjustable features than standard suspension, and the reason they are so popular is that they can be finely tuned and adjusted accurately. Most people like the smooth ride a coil spring can provide.

If you have larger tires or upgraded power and gearing, you will probably need the optional replacement leaf springs. It all depends on how you like your truck to look. If you prefer it to be level, then stick with the 5" rear blocks. If you prefer the raked look, then you can choose shorter blocks.

Bump stops are a great way to smooth out even the harshest hits while protecting your chassis from the extreme energy transfer impact.

Generally, off-road racing shocks need to be charged with nitrogen only. DO NOT USE compressed air as it can cause a number of problems. The oxygen and moisture in compressed air will corrode ferrous materials. Not only that, nitrogen is more stable through a greater pressure and temperature range.

With the significantly increased oil volume and a large diameter piston head these shocks can just about take any suspension!

Beat all terrains, roads and climate with the best suspension systems. Make your journey a smooth one with an intelligent choice of suspension systems