Trailer suspension is divided into American and European, how to distinguish?

Air suspension is currently common in two types of structures, namely European suspension, American suspension, let us understand how they are different.

● The two environments derive different trailer suspension structures

Before saying two kinds of air bag suspension structure, let's talk about the transportation environment in the United States and Europe, the difference between the two transportation environments, the formation of two kinds of suspension structure. In Europe, the maximum limit of the vehicle is generally 40 tons of gross weight, and the vehicle type is mainly 4X2 tractor + 3-axis semi-trailer, the drive axle of the 4X2 tractor generally has 4 air bags, and the axle of the trailer will use a single bridge with 2 air bags.

In the United States, the maximum limit of vehicles is 36 tons (80,00lb), the vehicle is basically a combination of 6X4 tractor +2 axis semi trailer, the drive axle of the tractor will use a single bridge with 2 air bags structure, and the trailer also uses a single bridge with 2 air bags structure.

Through the vehicle usage conditions of the two countries, we can see that although both are 5-axis vehicles, the total weight of vehicles in Europe is 4 tons larger than that of the United States. The difference in the structure of the vehicle, the difference in the carrying capacity, led to the difference in the air bag suspension of the tractor and the trailer in the two countries. In addition, Americans like simplicity and practicality, and the single bridge 2 airbags are just in line with this. Europeans like to strive for excellence, and they like to pursue the ultimate in trucks, so they like single bridge 4 airbags on trucks.

● There are two kinds of truck suspension with different structure

Taking the tractor as an example, the European tractor is a 4X2 tractor, and the United States is a 6X4 tractor, in order to ensure the carrying capacity and reliability of the airbag, the European truck will use a single bridge of 4 airbags structure, and the United States is a 6X4 tractor, a single drive axle 2 airbag can meet the needs of use. This single-bridge 2 airbag suspension structure in the United States is what we often say is the American drag arm (push rod) suspension.

Europe's truck load is greater than the United States, so the truck will use a single bridge 4 air bag structure to meet the needs of use, and the United States lighter load, single bridge 2 air bags can meet the needs of use.

In the truck, the United States adopts the American trailer suspension single bridge with 2 airbags, the advantages of the American suspension are low cost, simple mechanism, but the shortcomings are also many, the stiffness is large, the ride is poor, easy to produce motion interference, and the European 4 airbags can make up for all the shortcomings of the American. Although European trucks have a single bridge 4 airbag structure, there is an exception, Scania also has a 2 airbag structure of the airbag suspension vehicle.

● Comparison of trailer suspension forms

Whether in the United States or Europe, the trailer uses a single bridge 2 air bag structure, but their trailer axle suspension is not the same, as for the trailer air bag suspension structure is different we focus on the following.

At present, these two trailer axle suspension are used, the domestic Fuhua axle is generally used in the American suspension, and BPW because it is a German enterprise, so their products naturally use European suspension.

The main difference between the two suspension is that the airbag guide arm (load-bearing beam, suspension arm) is different from the front support structure. The European guide arm is generally made of cast plate springs, while the American one is made of steel plate stamping and welding. In addition, the front bracket of the American suspension is smaller than that of the European one.

European-style airbag trailer suspension

The guide arm (bearing beam, suspension arm) of the European air bag suspension is one or more sheet springs, and the guide arm is cast. Because the guide arm is a plate spring, it can play a certain cushioning role in driving, and can achieve certain shock absorption compared with the American suspension.

American airbag suspension

The American suspension guide arm is made of steel plate stamping and welding, in theory, the weight of the American suspension guide arm will be lighter, and the guide arm made of stamping and welding will be used, which also has a great relationship with the small carrying capacity of the vehicle in the United States. Compared with the European suspension, the guide arm of the American suspension is rigidly connected.

Two forms of air suspension in the country have users in use, it can be said that the two suspension has its own advantages and disadvantages, as for the choice of which, but also depends on your own needs.