AIR SUSPENSION SYSTEM

Contents
ABSTRACT...................................................................................................................................... 2
INTRODUCTION TO AIR SUSPENSIONS ..................................................................................... 3
1.1Preface ..................................................................................................................................... 3
1.2Suspension system: .................................................................................................................. 3
1.2.1 Introduction of Suspension system .................................................................................... 3
1.2.2 Objectives of Suspension system: ...................................................................................... 5
PROBLEM DEFINITION ................................................................................................................. 6
2.1 General Problems without Suspension: ................................................................................... 6
2.2 Problems in Spring Suspension:................................................................................................ 6
LITERATURE REVIEW .................................................................................................................. 7
3.1 Leaf Spring ............................................................................................................................... 7
3.2 Air Spring ................................................................................................................................. 8
BASIC AIR SUSPENSION............................................................................................................... 9
4.1 What is an air suspension? ....................................................................................................... 9
4.2 Components of the air suspension ......................................................................................... 10
4.2.1 The air supply. ................................................................................................................ 10
4.2.2 Air bags .......................................................................................................................... 11
4.2.3 Height control valves ...................................................................................................... 11
4.3 How the air suspension functions .......................................................................................... 13
Chapter 5..................................................................................................................................... 14
Types of Air Suspension ................................................................................................................ 14
5.1 Bellow Type Air Suspension (Spring)....................................................................................... 14
5.2 Piston Type Air Suspension (Spring) ....................................................................................... 14
5.3 Elongated Bellows Air Suspension .......................................................................................... 15
Chapter 6..................................................................................................................................... 16
ADVANTAGES ............................................................................................................................. 16
DISADVANTAGES ....................................................................................................................... 17
Application of Air Suspension System .......................................................................................... 17
CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................................... 18
REFERENCE.................................................................................................................................. 19

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ABSTRACT
Air ride suspension carries the load on each axle with a pressurized air bag much like a high-
pressure balloon. Air ride suspension systems have been in common use for over forty years
and have proven to provide the smoothest and most shock-free ride of any known vehicle
suspension system. Modern air bags are constructed using the same methods as a tire by
using high strength cords which are then encapsulated in rubber. These units are very durable
in service and have a proven life of many years.

In addition to providing extremely smooth ride quality, air ride suspension also provides
other important features. First, the system automatically adjusts air pressure in the air bag so
that the trailer always rides at the same height, whether lightly loaded or heavily loaded. This
allows the suspension system to always provide the maximum usable wheel travel
independent of trailer load. In addition, the higher air bag pressure associated with higher
trailer loads ,automatically provides a stiffer suspension which is exactly what is required for
a smooth ride. The lower air bag pressure for lightly loaded conditions, automatically
provides fora softer suspension, thus providing the same ride quality for all trailer loading
conditions. Since each axle is independently supported by its own air bag, the air ride
suspension is a truly, fully independent suspension system.

The automatic control of the air bag pressure is accomplished by a solid state electronic
control system specifically designed and packaged for vehicle use. This system continuously
monitors the "ride height" of the trailer suspension and increases air pressure if the ride
height is too low, by turning on an on-board air compressor. The air compressor stops
automatically when the proper ride height is reached. If the ride height is too high, an
automatic vent valve vents excess air pressure and stops venting when the proper ride height
is reached. All required electrical power is provided by a 12 volt battery contained in the
trailer equipment compartment.

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Chapter-1

INTRODUCTION TO AIR SUSPENSIONS

1.1Preface
It is important to understand air suspensions because there is a direct interaction between the
air suspension and the levelling of a vehicle. In fact, there are levelling systems available that
use the vehicle air suspension to do the levelling. The HWH Active Air system actually
controls the air suspension of a vehicle while the vehicle is travelling. You must understand
the air suspension before dealing with our systems that are installed on vehicles with an air
suspension.
At this time it is important to note that the following discussions are generic in nature. There
are many different types and manufacturers of air suspensions and many different ways they
are put together. Even different chassis’ s built by the same manufacturer can be different in
some ways. There are different air bag, air tank and valve arrangements. When dealing with
suspension issues, it is critical that you obtain plumbing and wiring diagrams for the specific
chassis that you are working on.

1.2Suspension system:

1.2.1Introduction of Suspension system

Suspension is the term given to the system of springs, shock absorbers and linkages that
connects a vehicle to its wheels. Suspension systems serve a dual purpose —contributing to
the car's road holding handling and braking for good active safety and driving pleasure, and
keeping vehicle occupants comfortable and reasonably well isolated from road noise, bumps,
and vibrations, etc. These goals are generally at odds, so the tuning of suspensions involves
finding the right compromise. It is important for the suspension to keep the road wheel in
contact with the road surface as much as possible, because all the forces acting on the vehicle
do so through the contact patches of the tires. The suspension also protects the vehicle itself
and any cargo or luggage from damage and wear. The design of front and rear suspension of
a car may be different.

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Figure1: Locating Suspension Units

A suspension system comprises springs, shock absorbers and linkages. This suspension
connects an automobile to its wheels. The suspension systems not only help in the proper
functioning of the car's handling and braking, but also keep vehicle occupants comfortable
and make your drive smooth and pleasant. It also protects the vehicle from wear and tear. To
know about the suspension system, one needs to know about the spring rate or suspension
rate. Various spring types are used for different vehicles. In case of heavier suspension loads,
the spring rate is higher and vice versa. Spring rate is measured as a ratio used to measure
how resistant a spring is to being compressed or expanded during the spring's deflection
Besides spring rate, one needs to take in account the wheel rate. Wheel rate is the effective
spring rate when measured at the wheel. It is generally equal to or considerably less than the
spring rate.
There are two types of suspension systems-dependent and independent. Adependent
suspension comprises a beam that holds wheels parallel to each other and perpendicular to the
axle. An independent suspension helps in the rising and falling movement of the wheels.
There is also a semi-dependent suspension where the motion of one wheel affects the position
of the other but they are not rigidly attached to each other.
The dependent suspension includes Trailing arms, Satchell link, Panhard rod, Watt's linkage,
WOB Link and Mumford linkage. The independent suspensions includes Swing axle, Sliding
pillar, Mac Pherson strut/Chapman strut ,Upper and lower A-arm (double wishbone), multi-
link suspension, semi-trailingarm suspension, swinging arm and leaf springs.

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1.2.2 Objectives of Suspension system:

1.A suspension system prevents road shocks from being transmitted to the
vehicle, its inmates and the automotive components.
2.It helps to protect and safeguard the inmates of the vehicles on sub-terranean and
difficult road terrains.
3.The suspension system plays a crucial role in vehicle handling, vehicle
dynamics and adds to the stability of the vehicle while it is running, pitching or rolling.

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Chapter 2
PROBLEM DEFINITION

2.1 General Problems without Suspension:

 Unspring Weight
Having a large beam connecting the two front wheels results in a lot of mass.This extra mass
really hinders the road holding capability of the suspension on rough road.
 Wheel Movement
Because both wheels are tied together the force acting on each wheel are directed to the
other wheel. Under the load this cause the wheelsto ‘Shimmy and decrease the stability of the
vehicle in corners
 Bad Bump Steer
Because a beam axle makes locating the steering correctly difficult, most solid axle
suspensions suffer from an uncontrollable amount of bump steer .Again, hindering the
performance of the car.
 Size
Simply put solid axle are huge and fitting them into a chassis requires an amount of space
practically available.
 Ride Quality
Due to the high mass of the axle and the wheels being connected there is no too much ride
isolation between the springs and un spring mass. This results in rough ride and even worse,
compromised road holding capacity.

2.2 Problems in Spring Suspension:

The conventional metal springs faced some drawbacks which were air suspension system
overcomes and so they are preferred and used in more these days. Let's see some of the plus
points of this system.
1) The automatic control devices installed in the vehicle allows making optimum use of
the variable space for deflection of wheel.
2) The height of the automobile remains steady and so the changes in the alignment of
headlamp due to varying loads are restricted.
3) It helps to reduce the load while the vehicle in motion.

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Chapter 3

LITERATURE REVIEW

On a summer day in 1904 a young man by the name of William Brush helped bring about the
modern automobile suspension system. Driving his brother Alanson's Crest mobile, Brush
was rolling along too fast for the unpaved roads of the day and went into a curve at 30 mph.
The car's right front wheel skittered on to the dirt shoulder and whammed into a deep rut.
Almost at once, the wheel started to shimmy violently. The undulations of the jarred right
front elliptic leaf spring had sent shock waves across the solid I-beam axle to the left side of
the vehicle.[1]
This set the entire front of the car to vibrating furiously. Brush was caught unawares and lost
control. The car crashed through a barbed-wire fence, hit a ditch and overturned in a cow
pasture. Several hours later young William 'fessed up to Alanson, whose de meaner switched
from stern to thoughtful, since he was trying to design a better car. That car, dubbed the
Brush Two-Seat Runabout, finally appeared in 1906. It featured are volitionary suspension
system that incorporated two innovations never before assembled together: front coil springs
and devices at each wheel that dampened spring bounce --shock absorbers --mounted
on a flexible hickory axle.[3]
Some European car makers had tried coil springs, with Gottlieb Daimler in Germany being
the leading exponent. However, most manufacturers stood fast with leaf springs. They were
less costly, and by simply adding leaves or changing the shape from full elliptic to three-
quarter or half elliptic, the spring could be made to support varying weights.[2]

3.1 Leaf Spring

Leaf springs in one form or another have been used since the Romans suspended a two-
wheeled vehicle called a Pilentum on elastic wooden poles. The first steel spring put on a
vehicle was a single flat plate installed on carriages by the French in the 18th century. The
venerable leaf spring, which some manufacturers still use in rear suspensions today, was
invented by Obadiah Elliot of London in 1804. He simply piled one steel plate on top of
another, pinned them together and shackled each end to a carriage.[4]

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The coil spring is not a spring chicken, either. The first patent for such a spring (British
patent No. 792) was issued to R. Tred well in 1763. The main advantage of coil springs was
that they did not have to be spread apart and lubricated periodically to keep them from
squeaking, as leaf springs did.

Henry Ford's 1908 Model T Ford featured old-fashioned leaf springs with a noveltwist --he
used only one spring at each axle, mounted transversely, instead of on eat each wheel. Ford's
adaptation of high-strength vanadium steel from a French racing car allowed him to save
weight and cut costs in many areas of the Model without compromising its durability. With
the exception of a car here and there, independent coil spring front suspension remained in
limbo for 25 years after the introduction of the Brush Runabout. Then suddenly in 1934,
General Motors, Chrysler, Hudson, and others reintroduced coil spring front suspension, this
time with each wheel sprung independently. In that year, most cars started using hydraulic
shock absorbers and balloon (low-pressure) tires. Coupling a solid front axle with shock
absorbers and these tires really aggravated front end shimmy. Suspending each wheel
individually lessened the effects of spring bounce.

3.2 Air Spring

Air springs combine spring and shock absorbing action in one unit and were often used
without metal springs. The first one was developed by Cowey Motor Works of Great Britain
in 1909. It was a cylinder that could be filled with air from. The first practical air suspension
was developed by Firestone in 1933 for an experimental car called the Stout-Scarab. This
was a rear-engine vehicle that used four rubberized bellows in place of conventional springs.
Air was supplied by small compressors attached to each bellow. As you might imagine, the
air bag suspension was an expensive setup --still is, in fact.
The first automobile to use torsion bar suspension was the 1921 Leyland. Most of the credit
for the wide acceptance of torsion bars in Europe goes to Dr.Ferdinand Porsche who made it
standard on most of his cars, beginning with the1933 Volkswagen prototypes. By 1954, 21
makes of European cars were equipped with torsion bars.[5]

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Chapter-4

BASIC AIR SUSPENSION

4.1 What is an air suspension?

‘The air suspension system is an air-operated, microprocessor controlled suspension system.
This system replaces the conventional coil spring suspension and provides automatic front
and rear load levelling. The 4 air springs, made of rubber and plastic, support the vehicle load
at the front and rear wheels’.
An air suspension supports the vehicle on the axles with an arrangement of air bags instead of
some type of steel spring, leaf or coil, or some type of torsion spring arrangement. The air
bags are sometimes referred to as air springs or bellows. Suspensions that have steel or
torsion springs that are supplemented by the use of air bags are not considered air
suspensions. There are combination systems that have both air and steel springs. Usually the
air suspension components are used on the rear of the vehicle.

Figure4: Advanced Air Suspension

systems, especially with air brakes, manufacturers must follow specific regulations when
designing their air systems. The brake system will always be the main concern for
the air system. There will be safety features installed in the system that make the
brake system the main priority for the air system.

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4.2 Components of the air suspension

An air suspension has three basic components. The air supply, the air bag sand the height
control valves. As stated before, there are many different types of these components and
different arrangements of how these components are used. In the following section, we will
discuss several different arrangements of these components but this is by no means a
complete discussion of all of the possible arrangements.

4.2.1 The air supply.

The air supply is engine air compressor, the air tanks, air valves and airlines. The engine
air compressor supplies air for every piece of air equipment on the vehicle. The maximum
pressure supplied by the compressor varies. For many years, the air supply was
maint ained around 120 to125 psi but on some newer, larger vehicles this has been
increased to 135 psi. There will be dash gauges that will supply system pressure information
but all vehicles have what we refer to as a “pop off valve”. You can hear the valve “pop off”
when the system reaches the maximum air pressure. The air supply is maintained through an
arrangement of air tanks. Air tank arrangement is one thing that varies greatly between
different air systems. I have seen systems with one tank that has primary and secondary
compartments built in, and systems wit h some type of main, secondary or auxiliar y
tank for every component of the system, as many as 10 to 12 different tanks. The
terminology for

these tanks varies greatly also. There are primary tanks, secondary tanks, wet tanks,
auxiliary tanks, front brake tanks, rear brake tanks and ping tanks to name some of them. No
mater how many there are or what they are called, they all do basically the same thing, they
store air for the different systems on the vehicle “pop off valve”. You can hear the valve “pop
off” when the system reaches the maximum air pressure. The air supply is maintained
through an arrangement of air tanks. Air tank arrangement is one thing that varies greatly

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between different air systems. I have seen systems with one tank that has primary and
secondary.

compartments built in ,and systems wit h some type of main, secondary or auxiliar y
tank for every component of the system, as many as 10 to 12 different tanks. The
terminology for these tanks varies greatly also. There are primary tanks, secondary tanks, wet
tanks, auxiliary tanks, front brake tanks, rear brake tanks and ping tanks to name some of
them. No mater how many there are or what they are called, they all do basically the same
thing, they store air for the different systems on the vehicle.

4.2.2 Air bags

Air bags are simply a rubber bladder that holds air. Air bags are also referred to as air springs
or bellows. The air bags are located between the frame of the vehicle and the vehicle axles.
Air bags are rated for weight and pressure capacities. Air bag placement and arrangements
vary amongst chassis manufacturers. At the very least, there will be one air bag for each side
of each axle in the vehicle. There can be two air bags for each side of the axles but I have
never seen a tag axle with more that one bag per side. Some manufacturers use two air bags
for each side of the drive axle and some use two air bags for each side of the drive and front
axles. Space between air bags for side to side placement also varies. Some place the air bags
outboard as far as they can and some have the bags closer together. When two bags per side
are used, one will be in front of the axle and the other behind the axle. Again, spacing can
vary. Most air bags will have some device such as a cone that keeps the air bag from being
crushed or damaged when fully deflated. Inflating air bags is limited to the available air
pressure to the suspension system. This is why the relief setting of the engine air compressor
should not be changed

4.2.3 Height control valves

The height control valves (HCV from now on) are kind of the brains of thesystem. They
dictate how much air is in the air bags. This dictates the height the vehicle sits at, thus, Height
Control Valve. Most HCVs are mechanical valves buelectronic HCVs are available. The
HCV is mounted to the frame of the vehicle.

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An L shaped linkage attaches the HCV to the axle. As the axle moves up and down in
relationship to the frame, the linkage moves the valve or electronic mechanism. With
mechanical valves, there is an air line from the air supply to the HCV. There is an air line
from the HCV to the air bag or bags+ that it controls. The HCV also has an exhaust port.
When the connecting linkage moves up, the HCV connects the air supply to the air bag(s),
inflating the bag(s). When the connecting linkage moves down, the HCV connects the air
bag(s) to the exhaust port, deflating the bag(s). This controls the height of the vehicle. If the
HCV is electronic, as the linkage moves, the sensors in the HCV send information to an
electronic control. These controls will open or close air solenoid valves as needed to inflate or
deflate the bags. There are two basic styles of mechanical HCVs, the instant response valve
(IR valve) and the delay valve. These names are accurate descriptions of how the valves
react. The IR valve will start to inflate or deflate the air bags as soon as the valve activating
lever moves. The delay valve has a slight delay when the activating lever moves before
inflating or deflating the air bags. The number and arrangement of HCVs used on
a suspension

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varies a little. There are normally three HCVs used on a suspension. Either there is one for
the front axle and two for the rear, (most common arrangement) or some use two on the front
axle and one on the rear. A few chassis have been done with one HCV for each side of the
front and rear axles, a total of four, but this would not be very common. Vehicles with a tag
axle use regulated air or tie the tag air bags to the driver air bags to control
the tag air bags. Although it may be done, I know of no one using HCVs to control the tag
axle air bags.

4.3 How the air suspension functions

The vehicle is supported on the frame with an arrangement of airbags. The vehicle air system
,engine air compressor, tanks, lines, etc., supplies air to the height control valves
(HCV) mounted to the frame of the vehicle. The height control valves are connected to the air
bags with an air line. The linkage which connects the HCVs to the axles rotates the HCV
valuing as it moves up and down. When weight is added to the vehicle or transferred through
the suspension of the vehicle, the air in the air bag(s) is compressed, the frame moves closer
to the axle. This forces the HCV linkage up. As the linkage moves up, the valuing of the
HCV connects the air supply to the air bag(s). The added pressure and volume in flates the
air bag(s), causing the frame to move away from the axle. As the frame moves back to the
proper ride height, the HCV linkage moves to the neutral position. This moves the valving
away from the air supply and locks the air in the air bag to maintain the proper ride height. As
weight is removed from the vehicle or the suspension shifts weight away, the existing
pressure in the air bag(s) can push the frame away from the axle. The HCV linkage is pulled
down. This connects the air bag(s) to the HCV exhaust port. As air is exhausted from the air
bag(s), the frame lowers back down towards the axle. As the linkage moves up to
the
neutral position, the exhaust port is closed and the air is again locked in theair bag(s),maintai
ning proper ride height. These three drawings show a schematic example of the
height control valve in the neutral posit ion, inflate posit ion and deflate or exhaust
position.

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Chapter 5

Types of Air Suspension

5.1Bellow Type Air Suspension (Spring)

This type of air spring consists of rubber bellows made into circular sections with two
convolutions for proper functioning, as depicted in Figure. It replaces the conventional coil
spring and is commonly employed in air suspension setups.

5.2 Piston Type Air Suspension (Spring)

In this system, a metal-air container resembling an inverted drum is connected to the frame.
A sliding piston is linked to the lower wishbone, while a flexible diaphragm ensures a tight
seal. The diaphragm is connected at its outer circumference to the drum's lip and at the center
of the piston.

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5.3Elongated Bellows Air Suspension

For rear axle applications, elongated bellows with approximately rectangular shapes and
semi-circular ends, typically having two convolutions, are used.
These bellows are arranged between the rear axle and the vehicle frame and are reinforced
with radius rods to withstand torques and thrusts, as required for efficient suspension
functioning.

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Chapter 6

ADVANTAGES

 Optimal Wheel Deflection: Automatic control devices enable the air suspension to
utilize variable space effectively, enhancing wheel deflection and providing a
smoother ride experience.
 Consistent Vehicle Altitude: Maintaining a constant vehicle altitude helps avoid
changes in headlamp alignment caused by varying loads, ensuring consistent
illumination and improved visibility.
 Reduced Spring Rate Variation: The air suspension exhibits minimal variation in
spring rate between laden and unladen conditions compared to conventional steel
springs, leading to reduced dynamic loading and improved stability.
 Enhanced Ride Comfort and Noise Reduction: Air springs contribute to an
improved standard of ride comfort, effectively reducing noise levels and resulting in
reduced driver and passenger fatigue during journeys.

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DISADVANTAGES

 Higher Initial Cost: Air suspension systems typically come with a higher initial cost
compared to conventional suspension setups, making them a premium option.
 Increased Space Requirements: Air suspension components may occupy more
space within the vehicle's chassis, potentially affecting available storage and design
considerations.
 Higher Maintenance Costs: Maintaining an air suspension system can incur higher
costs due to the complexity of its components and specialized maintenance
requirements.
 Damping Necessity: Air suspension lacks inherent friction damping, necessitating the
use of additional damping mechanisms to counteract road shocks effectively.

Application of Air Suspension System

The applications of the Air suspension system include:

 Luxury Vehicles
 Commercial Trucks
 High-End SUVs
 Passenger Buses
 Recreational Vehicles (RVs)
 Emergency and Rescue Vehicles
 Motorhomes
 Commercial Trailers

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CONCLUSION

Air suspension is today mainly feature for luxury vehicle. It offers a lot of feature for
compact class. Cost or price level will be more attractive. Integration &smart design is key.
The Air Suspension System has ability to change the load carrying capacity simply by
changing the air pressure. From the whole discussion in air suspension system, I observe that
the system is like a white blood cell As white blood cell provides energy to our body to fight
against diseases or viruses which try to destroy or try to decrease our life, in the similar way
air suspension system provides the energy to a vehicle to protect itself from damaging,
increasing life of the vehicle ,increases the handing, increases comfort of passengers and
many more. So, according to me if you remove the suspension system, then you feel like in
bull-cart in Audi , Mercedes types luxurious cars. The only difference is speed. So, the scope
of Air Suspension System is Too Bright

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REFERENCE

[1].www.lincolnmarkviii.org/suspension/asexplained.htm
[2]. http://www.rodandcustommagazine.com/howto/4923/
[3}http://www.motorage.com/motorage/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=110152
[4]www.magneshocks.com
[5].www.cadillac.com/cadillacjsp/models/featureDynamic.jsp?model=esv&feature=stabilitra
k

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