Buying a trailer!!! Air ride or Spring Suspension?

air ride only,,, some companys will only load air ride also so better to be smart and don't buy springs I know they are cheaper but the ride is so much better

 

Air ride gives the driver a smoother ride. I used to think that air ride was easier on the load as well, but now I'm not so sure. I haul pallets of stacked cases of beverages in glass bottles on terribly potholed PA roads - in a spring ride trailer - and the load survives with no breakage. Who knew?

 

I haven't pulled a newer air ride trailer, but I pulled an older trailer late 90's era with Hendrickson. It was HORRID, there was way to much sway and I was battling to keep the truck and trailer on the road. This doesn't seem to be true with the modern suspension advances.

From what I can gather after seeing air ride trailers take bumps, the wheels stay planted more to the road. Where as, the spring suspension you feel the pivot of the fifth wheel over large bumps. Also it's interesting to see the torque squat when the tandems are slid on an air ride trailer vs. spring ride.

Stability would what I consider the most. I don't know how much it helps too when you have a heavy load to distribute the weight better vs spring ride.

 

air ride will also improve tire wear. Even aggregate haulers run air ride. Not many applications where spring would be the preferred choice. Spring is not bad, it's just not good IMO.

 

What kind of trailer are you looking at? Van, Flat..?

I used to run air/spring flat beds and honestly didn't really notice the difference unless it was a brutally rough road then the air ride shined. If you're in cold climates often, spring suspension has its advantages of no sticking valves and what not..

 

I booked my own loads for about a year and a half. In all that time, I only booked one load that was 'air ride only'. Yes, I had an air ride trailer. So I'd say that unless you have a regular customer that requires an air ride trailer, that would not be a factor.

 

One thing that I forgot to mention. With air ride, it's easy to destroy your air bags and shocks if your tandems stick while sliding forward and you're not watching for it. That can get expensive.

 

HUHH ?????

 

Know a guy who ran a flat / van company - for his vans that were spring ride he just went and bought stickers that said, " Air Ride Equipped " and never had a problem getting loaded. Think he was rejected a few times and that is what caused him to do that. A good idea in my opinion if you go w/ Spring ride.