What are the advantages of truck air suspension?

Air suspension has several advantages over regular coil or leaf spring suspension on trucks and trailers. It’s a suspension system that uses rubber and polyurethane bags inflated by a compressor to replace lock or leaf spring suspension.

Benefits

Comfort for the driver

Long-haul drivers are subjected to ‘NVH’ (noise, vibration, and harshness) (noise, vibration, and harshness). These can result in weariness, back pain, hearing loss (if the truck is loud), and other issues. Fatigue is a major cause of car accidents, so anything that minimizes the likelihood of a driver falling asleep behind the wheel is good. Making the truck more comfortable means fewer days away from work due to aches and pains.

Trucks with air suspension, according to drivers, glide over bumps considerably more readily and provide enhanced handling confidence. The driver can also select between a softer ride for highway cruising and a firmer ride for improved handling and less body roll on more difficult roads.

Because the softness of the suspension is more controlled in short-wheelbase trucks, the tendency to bounce over uneven roads while empty is decreased.

There is less wear and tear.

Air suspension reduces vibration in the vehicle, resulting in less wear and tear on truck or trailer components. Smoother suspension features improve tire wear, and some systems can raise axles that aren’t needed, extending tire life.

Increased efficiency

Better suspension equals faster cornering speeds, which saves time on the road.

The ride height can be adjusted depending on the truck’s speed, the type of surface, and whether it’s loaded or empty. Because the suspension isn’t compressed, an unladen truck is usually taller than a loaded truck, but the ride height can be reduced with air suspension. Lowering the ride height improves aerodynamics (i.e., less wind resistance) and cornering performance.

Load adaptability

When weights are unevenly distributed, air suspension can automatically level the suspension, improving braking and axle loads.

The truck or trailer can ‘kneel’ to help with loading or be elevated to clear obstructions since the height can be modified.

When air suspension is used, fragile loads are less damaged. This is ideal for items like glass or antiques.

Advantages for the environment

The road surface (which includes bridges and other structures attached to the road) degrades less quickly because less vibration is transmitted through the cover over the road. This implies that roads don’t need to be repaired as regularly; repairs produce traffic congestion and pollution from the machinery and materials used to make the repairs.

Improvements in fuel economy mean less pollution in the atmosphere.

Because the vehicle has more load flexibility, it may be utilized for more applications and is less likely to run empty, wasting fuel.

Price of resale

Trucks and trailers with air suspension have higher resale values.

Disadvantages

• Air suspension is more expensive to install and maintain than traditional leaf spring suspension.
• Drivers must understand how to get the most out of it by properly adjusting the settings.
• Air suspension has little or no effect in some situations.

Because air suspension is heavier than leaf suspension, additional fuel economy benefits may be negated if the manner of driving isn’t reliant on aerodynamic gains.