Air ride or Spring?

[2stacksuperdog]

I could never figure out why people always want air ride. I go to truck shows and see B-models with air ride and it sure isn't original. In my opinion spring is best for show or work.

[Bigdogtrucker]

I don't care for air ride and believe spring is far better,my back would not agree though...In all honesty,depends on the application.

[jackb61sx]

I prefer spring suspention, I know air ride is nice but just one more thing to do when dumping in letting out the bags. Springs its back dump and leave.

[farmer52]

My MH has spring rear suspension. I mostly bobtail, when I go over a bridge strip the back end will skip and sometimes go slightly sideways. It can get intense if the highway is wet. Also, sometimes it will jump out of gear. You either hold tight to the shift lever or get your hand out of the way. The shifter goes spastic! Thank God for air ride seats.

I am looking for an air ride suspension trailer and plan to build "living" quarters over the fifth wheel. I hope the added weight of the trailer will "smooth" the ride.

[purepressure2004]

The first time I drove a mixer with air ride I almost crapped my pants. I got off a highway ramp and felt like I was going over. Off road I like the walking beam the best.

[RowdyRebel]

Like anything else in this industry, application should determine the specs. If you do most of your running on the road, air ride is better....unless your loads are unstable, in which case you might prefer springs. When you get off the beaten path, though, springs are going to get you in & out with less difficulty.

If I were to spec a new truck (or if I could ever get the money together to make serious changes to the one I've got), I'd go with a hybrid....Raydan Mfg. has their Airlink....Hendrickson has their AR2....basically it's a walking beam suspension with air bags instead of the steel spring. Won't be as good as a Camelback off road, won't be as smooth as the air ride I've got now....but should work better for what I do than either of the "extremes".

[dds92780]

Spring (camelback) with a great seat

[HK Trucking]

Camelback springs are the only way to go.

When I was running my fleet I decided to try air ride, found a used CL with the Mack (Hendrickson) air ride.

Big mistake!!!!! That truck was paralyzed as soon as it left the pavement. Locking the power divider helped some, but when you lock the power divider you are over torquing the axle that does have traction.

Learned my lesson & sold it after a couple of seasons & replaced it with a different CL on camelback.

[jakebrake86]

I only run a dump truck so I'm camelback all the way. If I was running on the highway only, I'm sure I'd go with air ride.

[57 bcr]

For on/off road,its hard to beat camelback,with the PDLO option.I would like to try a Chalmers equipped MACK.I like the articulation of that suspension.Not crazy about air ride.It all depends on the application,though.On the antique truck side of the coin,I always thought air ride would help you preserve a restoration.Guess I'll have to try that.

[2stacksuperdog]

Yeah but doesn't putting air ride in a antique take away from restoring it to original condition.

[57 bcr]

Yeah but doesn't putting air ride in a antique take away from restoring it to original condition.

It does.But then again,how many trucks out there haven't been altered in some way?Besides,the BCR isn't real original anyway! I'm not trying to change the look of it,just the way the bumps treat my restoration,I guess!

[REEL ADDICTION]

My dump trucks all spring ride my lowboy is air ride

[slpwlker]

As I run the highway it is air ride or nothing. Now next truck if I can order one or depending on what I get I want to put that Ar2 hendrickson on. Mainly for the even weight distribution that you just can't quite get with airride. When I find scales I can sit and work with like at Grove in Shady grove, Pa when axling out my front drive will be over 20k and the lift and rear drive under 20k. There are some states like Ne that will axle you out on the scale. Also it gets me the off road ability and more of an air ride ride. But with the air ride I have no problems off road .

[mackcl96]

Do what I have always done,,,,Have one air ride and one spring ride in the tool shed and take which ever is needed for the job

[Freightrain]

When I first bought my B model, I was all about "keeping it original" to a point. No cutting or altering things too far as I wanted to keep it "stock looking". Well, after a few years I decided that I use it too much and wanted to make it more user friendly. My use is mostly OTR, so air ride really helps smooth out the rotten highways. My Bostrom seat does pretty well overall, but with my minimal pin weight the air ride is the crowning jewel.

I like original trucks just like the next guy, and if originality was a big concern I would leave it alone. I wanted a more period correct bunk for my truck too, but I took what was GIVEN to me and smiled.

To each their own.

[57 bcr]

As I run the highway it is air ride or nothing. Now next truck if I can order one or depending on what I get I want to put that Ar2 hendrickson on. Mainly for the even weight distribution that you just can't quite get with airride. When I find scales I can sit and work with like at Grove in Shady grove, Pa when axling out my front drive will be over 20k and the lift and rear drive under 20k. There are some states like Ne that will axle you out on the scale. Also it gets me the off road ability and more of an air ride ride. But with the air ride I have no problems off road .

I've seen that set-up (Hend. AR2) and thought that it might be the way to go for certain applications!

[Freightrain]

I got it cause it was cheap!! Came from a short single axle tractor that was converted to dump. Don't know why truck was scrapped, but I happen to see it being rolled off a trailer at the place I bought it from.

[Stick-man]

Air ride is nice for comfort, switching trailers, weight saving and repairs. Off road, I would definitely prefer spring.

[felicello122]

Spring for dump trucks/mixers and low bed. Air ride for linehaul,tanks and show,bobtail.

[GearheadGrrrl]

Depends... On the USPS single axle MRs, the air ride rode no better than the spring. On the UPS tractors I've driven, all single axles with spring, the air ride cab made them reasonably comfy even though they had spring ride.

[brutis77]

I think springs are good for antiques and heavy tandems. I would want air ride with 50 rears for my tractor or tri axle. Look at what the mixers do, you can't get any more severe duty than that nowadays. Just a shame it's Hendrickson that as the heavy air ride.

[Lmackattack]

Its all about application. If you never go off road air ride is the way to go..on and off road, it's a crap shoot. Only off road ,spring

One thing air ride has done is that it reduces road shock to the truck. But it will get hung up faster then spring...again application and it's use...

[BAD DOG]

Spring is definately ideal for off road,and construction application, it's simple,and they flex and go through more than air ride. Most of us up here have gone air ride on trucks and trailers too. Just have to make sure driver knows enough to dump air when dumping and put it back in when finished. Our new Granite dump trucks have an idiot light on the dash so you don't forget. Our recently changed weight laws forced us to go all air ride and steerable lift axles. It lightens the tare weight a bit and allows us more on our gross. as fars as going into places where you might get stuck and usually it's some where a truck should't be anyway. I always tell the contractor if they try to send us ito some shithole to use there dozer to get the stuff in there that's what they make dozers for don't expect the trucks to do it for nothing. Nothig wrong with a good camelback set up as long as they are not all wore out they ride pretty good. As for a rubber block , we had a Hendrickson rubber block on as RB dump and it would get stuck on a dog turd so I would'nt want one. I'd have to say I think Hendrickson has the best riding air ride for any application, we have a Pinnacle tractor and do everything with it, and it goes were we need it to just fine. I see nothing wrong with converting a collector truck to an air ride either , so long as the suspension choice suits the truck make. I'm saying I would'nt put a KW 8 bag or a Pete air track in a Mack or vise versa. I took the New way out of my Superliner and replaced it with the Hendrickson air ride from a 2000 CH Mack and I 'd do the same if I was to put air ride under a B mdel or F model or what ever. I just think it makes it more usable for me. Easier to get brake and suspension parts too and the ride is better if you're just bobtailing to shows.

[bbigrig]

We had an MH with Camelback. That MH rode just as good as any of our air ride Macks Cabover or Conventional.

Air ride seems to last longer for us, its lighter, and is better for resale from our experience.

These days we have to buy air ride because our customers demand it for their "delicate" freight. (really for no good reason)

I would be just fine with Camelback as long as the trunion holds up. (seen a lot of these fail lately)