How To Get the Most Out of Your Truck Suspension

Most people may claim that they know something about truck suspension, but it is one of those things about which everything is not known. On the surface level it is easy to decipher whether or not your vehicle goes up and down properly, but to understand the mechanism of your truck suspension, you need to consult an expert always.

Basically, both the suspensions of a truck, the front and rear, must work in tandem. The front and the rear are programmed in such a way that the action in the front suspension will get transferred instantly to the rear suspension, and vise versa. It is dangerous to do just the front, and neglect the back while replacing existing worn out components.

The two major functions of truck suspensions are:

1. To support the weight of the truck, and

2. To absorb the inconsistent terrain conditions while you safely enjoy a smooth ride.

What are the components of a truck suspension and how to get the most out of it? The 4- robust strong S - springs, shocks, stabilizer bars, strut tower brace - constitute a truck suspension.

Springs

Springs are the central part of a truck suspension. They are engineered to absorb and store road shock caused by bumps. When a car's wheel goes over a bump, the spring absorbs the tension, keeps the road shock from transmitting to the chassis, and makes sure the tire remains intact.

There are four types of spring systems: coil springs, leaf springs, air springs, and torsion bars. They are used either in single or in combination depending upon the application.

Coil springs are commonly used in passenger vehicles.

Springs also hold the other suspension components like tires, shock absorbers, ball joints, and control arms. Naturally, if a spring wears out it will eventually affect the performance of all the other components.

Shock Absorbers

A shock absorber is a little less involved than springs; they play a minimal role in absorbing impacts taken by the suspension.

A shock absorber is designed to do two functions: prevent excessive car body roll and eliminate spring oscillation. If not for a shock absorber, the transmitted energy will be released by an oscillating motion at an uncontrollable rate. It dampens road impacts by converting the up and down movement of the spring into thermal energy; for which it is nick-named as dampers by experts.

The spring continues to bounce at its natural frequency until all the energy originally put into the spring is used up by friction. This effect can be quite detrimental to the stability of a vehicle. Shocks and struts help control the speed at which the suspension is allowed to move, which is important for keeping the tires in contact with the road.

Stabilizer Bar

Stabilizer Bar or anti-roll or sway bar works by equally distributing the weight of a cornering vehicle to its opposite side. Its function is mainly to reduce swaying.

A stabilizer bar runs from one side of the vehicle to the other, attaching to the frame and control arms via a simple bushing arrangement. When the car goes through a turn, the bar begins to twist, but resists motion. This resistance distributes vehicle weight more evenly from side to side, lending the vehicle more stability.

Strut Tower Brace

A strut tower brace is a simple metal bar that stretches across the front strut towers, thus increasing rigidity.

Conclusion

Always make a conscious effort to keep your eyes on the road, and keep away from potholes for a long lasting suspension. Replace the springs and shocks after 60,000 miles of average use or 5 years whichever comes first.

Medium and Heavy Duty Suspensions

The ratings of a medium duty and heavy duty trucks are distinguished by its Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW). All trucks are more or less similar in many basic aspects, but the difference lies in the construction of heavier chassis, strengthened suspension, and lower transmission and drive-axle ratios to cope with hilly terrain.

Medium Duty trucks: The gross vehicle weight of a medium duty passenger will be anywhere between 6,001 and 8,500 pounds and are engineered for hauling in urban environments; it is agile, comfortable, offers a low step-in height, an enhanced heating and cooling system, a spacious interior and guarantees a noise-proof ride. It belongs to a division of heavy duty vehicles, and all large sports utility vehicles and passenger vans are examples of medium duty trucks.

Medium duty trucks are ideally used for business solutions varying from towing, pickup and delivery, grocery, beverage distribution, emergency services, garbage collection, etc.

The medium duty truck suspensions with its oversized air bags and high range of travel are designed to provide a soft, smooth, safety ride both for the driver as well as the cargo, and the capacity of a medium duty suspension range between 10,000 to 40,000 pounds.

In addition these suspensions are versatile; although these suspensions are custom made for each application, it can be adapted to many medium duty vehicles. The double-bonded rubber bushing of the suspension spring as well as the pivot point serves as a lubricant; therefore, no other form of lubrication is needed. Insofar as the quality of the suspension is concerned, it is a light weight construction but yet is capable of performing heavily. The suspension's single-leaf design and optimized geometry provide inherent roll stiffness and maximum stability during acceleration, braking, and other handling.

Heavy Duty Vehicles are vehicles that weigh 8,501 pounds and higher in Gross Vehicle Weight and are equipped with heavy duty engines. Heavy duty trucks are designed to carry freight or heavy articles and find use in transportation of goods and machinery. All off-road vehicles like large pick-ups, buses, delivery trucks, recreational vehicles, and semi trucks are examples of heavy duty vehicles. We cannot imagine any industry without these heavy duty trucks.

Feature of a heavy duty suspension: The suspensions used in heavy duty trucks are rubber suspensions, air suspensions, spring suspensions, and solid mount suspensions. Suspension capacity ranges between 40,000-120,000 lbs. Heavy duty suspensions are available as both conversion or complete kits.

The major strength of a truck's suspension comes from its springs which support the vehicle's weight on all four-corners. Leaf and coil springs used in heavy duty suspensions are engineered for exact bolt-in replacement and combined with the state-of-the-art polyurethane bushings. Leaf and coil springs are stiffer than stock spring which essentially is capable of raising or lowering your truck acting both as traditional spring and as an anti-roll. The moving joints are sealed in rubber elastomers so that there are no lubrication points or adjustments required and provide a markedly quieter operation.

As a last word, although a finely tuned suspension system is essential for the smooth operation of your motor vehicle, people are increasingly focusing on fuel efficiency and are taking measures to reduce the carbon print.

Conclusion:

To conclude, the thought of boarding an overloaded airplane will instantly make us shudder - so why on earth would we risk driving an overloaded truck? Your life may depend on you driving within the limits of your equipment and your capability. Always weigh your rigs on a public scale and if they are overweight, go out of your way to bring them back to its specified limits.