Air suspension for low ride
June 16th 2010 06:28
Just wondering why their ride is so damn low?? Of course using air suspension system. Here's some explaination of this system.
Air suspension is a type of vehicle suspension powered by an engine driven or electric air pump or compressor. This pump pressurizes the air, using compressed air as a spring. Air suspension replaces conventional steel springs. If the engine is left off for an extended period, the car will settle to the ground. The purpose of air suspension is to provide a smooth ride quality and in some cases self-leveling.
While not using high pressure mineral oil, the system aims to achieve a result similar to the hydropneumatic suspension arrangement introduced in 1954 by Citroën.
With a "leg up" on other companies, GM used its experience with commercial busses' air suspension to introduce systems for its car lines, beginning with the 1958 model year. Air bags at each wheel replaced the standard coil springs, and had sensors to keep the car level under load and in turns. It was too slow to react in sudden maneuvers, however.
Period reviews rated the air suspension somewhat superior in ride quality, but not dramatically. Some reliability issues plagued these systems, as well. Thus, as an option, air suspension was short lived in that era.
Vehicles that use air suspension today include models from Maybach, Rolls-Royce, Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Land Rover/Range Rover, SsangYong, Audi, Subaru, Volkswagen, and Lincoln and Ford, among others.
The air suspension designs from Land Rover, SsangYong, Subaru and some Audi, VW, and Lexus models, feature height adjustable suspension controlled by the driver, suitable for clearing rough terrain. The Lincoln Continental and Mark VIII also featured an air suspension system in which the driver could choose how sporty or comfortable they wanted the suspension to feel. These suspension settings were also linked to the memory seat system, meaning that the car would automatically adjust the suspension to the individual driver. The control system in the Mark VIII also lowered the suspension by about 25 mm (1 inch) at speeds exceeding about 100 km/h (60 mph) for improved aerodynamic performance. Due to the many advantages air suspensions provide, and with the advancement of new materials and technologies, these systems are being designed on many future platforms. This is especially important as car manufacturers strive to improve gas mileage by reducing weight and utilizing active suspension technology to maximize performance.
In addition to passenger cars, air suspension is broadly used on semi trailers, trains (primarily passenger trains) and buses, which are all transportation sectors that helped pioneer the use and design of air suspension. An unusual application was on EMD's experimental
Air suspension is a type of vehicle suspension powered by an engine driven or electric air pump or compressor. This pump pressurizes the air, using compressed air as a spring. Air suspension replaces conventional steel springs. If the engine is left off for an extended period, the car will settle to the ground. The purpose of air suspension is to provide a smooth ride quality and in some cases self-leveling.
While not using high pressure mineral oil, the system aims to achieve a result similar to the hydropneumatic suspension arrangement introduced in 1954 by Citroën.
With a "leg up" on other companies, GM used its experience with commercial busses' air suspension to introduce systems for its car lines, beginning with the 1958 model year. Air bags at each wheel replaced the standard coil springs, and had sensors to keep the car level under load and in turns. It was too slow to react in sudden maneuvers, however.
Period reviews rated the air suspension somewhat superior in ride quality, but not dramatically. Some reliability issues plagued these systems, as well. Thus, as an option, air suspension was short lived in that era.
Vehicles that use air suspension today include models from Maybach, Rolls-Royce, Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Land Rover/Range Rover, SsangYong, Audi, Subaru, Volkswagen, and Lincoln and Ford, among others.
The air suspension designs from Land Rover, SsangYong, Subaru and some Audi, VW, and Lexus models, feature height adjustable suspension controlled by the driver, suitable for clearing rough terrain. The Lincoln Continental and Mark VIII also featured an air suspension system in which the driver could choose how sporty or comfortable they wanted the suspension to feel. These suspension settings were also linked to the memory seat system, meaning that the car would automatically adjust the suspension to the individual driver. The control system in the Mark VIII also lowered the suspension by about 25 mm (1 inch) at speeds exceeding about 100 km/h (60 mph) for improved aerodynamic performance. Due to the many advantages air suspensions provide, and with the advancement of new materials and technologies, these systems are being designed on many future platforms. This is especially important as car manufacturers strive to improve gas mileage by reducing weight and utilizing active suspension technology to maximize performance.
In addition to passenger cars, air suspension is broadly used on semi trailers, trains (primarily passenger trains) and buses, which are all transportation sectors that helped pioneer the use and design of air suspension. An unusual application was on EMD's experimental
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