D
riving across damaged roadways
are an unfortunate way of life for
many truck drivers. But while
cracked roads and potholes increase the
potential of a bumpy ride, it typically
takes a mechanical failure for every vibra-
tion caused by poor road conditions to
reach a driver and their cargo.
One failure in particular that can
make for a rough ride is a non-function-
ing air spring.
As one of the key components in an
air suspension system, air springs aid in
cushioning a suspension against extreme
duress to provide a steady, smooth ride
across any surface. Today's air spring
manufacturers use highly fl exible and ro-
bust materials to build these springs, and
in optimal conditions many last more
than 500,000 miles.
But that longevity doesn't make the
components impervious to damage.
Severe operating conditions, roadside
debris, driver error, system malfunctions
and foreign material buildup are among
the factors that reduce the life of heavy-
duty air springs.
"Manufacturers can make the greatest
products the world but if [vehicle own-
ers] never look at them and take care of
them they can fail," says John Hilkirk,
aftermarket sales manager at Conti-
Tech. "Air springs are like anything else.
They have a life cycle and it needs to be
observed."
By offering comprehensive air spring
Maintaining a
customer's customer's customer's
smooth
ride
18
Service Bay
T R U C K P A R T S & S E R V I C E | M a y 2 0 1 6
By Lucas Deal, Editor
lucasdeal@randallreilly.com
