Front Left W166 X166 Mercedes Benz Air Suspension Strut Shocks 1663201313

Air Suspension Spring

Spring suspensions use semi-elliptic leaf springs to cushion a load from road shock. As one of the most commonly used suspensions, spring ride consists of several layers of flexible steel strips referred to as a “leaf pack.”

The strips are joined together to act as a single unit. The long and narrow arch-shaped plates are attached to the frame of a trailer, resting above the trailer’s axle.

Components of the air suspension system
An air suspension system generally has three basic components. They are air supply, the air bags and the height control valves. Drier, Air Pump, Control Module, Air Line, Height Sensor, Suspension air bag, Solenoid

The Advantages of Air Suspension

1. More driver comfort due to the reduction in noise, harshness, and vibration on the road that can cause driver discomfort and fatigue
2. Less wear and tear on the suspension system due to reduced harshness and vibration of heavy-duty driving
3. Trailers last longer with air suspension spring because the system components don't take on as much vibration
4. Air suspension spring reduces the tendency of short wheelbase trucks to bounce over rougher roads and terrain when the vehicle is empty
5. Air suspension spring improves the ride height based on the load weight and a vehicle's speed
6. Higher corner speeds due to air suspension spring being better suited to the surface of the road

What is an air suspension struts?
The main difference between a traditional shock or strut is that they have a dampening mechanism set to a certain ride control feel while an air suspension system uses an air compressor in combination with air struts and suspension air bags to control the feel of the ride. Air suspension has several advantages over traditional shocks and struts. The first is that the ride quality is often controlled by the driver of the vehicle. Therefore, if you want a softer ride you can set your air suspension system to deliver that and vice versa if you are looking for a stiffer, rougher ride. The second advantage is that you can control ride height, some systems are advanced in that they automatically control this for you. The final advantage of an air suspension system is weight management. If you load the back of your SUV with a large amount of groceries from the store, the air suspension system either automatically adjusts to handle it or you can manually adjust it. For traditional shocks and struts the level of rebound is set and therefore no matter what the weight of your load is, you have to stick with it. This often creates a sagging rear end when carrying a heavy load.

While an air suspension system is more complex, the advantages are clear. The system is comprised of a central air suspension compressor as well as air struts within an air bag at each wheel. The air compressor pressurised the air struts as needed to control the feel. Other components can be seen in the diagram above, all of which are mainly air lines to transfer pressure and driers (filter) to complete the system.