I. Key Points of Air Suspensions

Definition: Utilizing air springs as elastic components, an air suspension system is composed of airbags, air compressors, control units, etc. It achieves shock absorption through the compressibility of gas and can automatically adjust the vehicle body height according to road conditions.

Core Advantages:

II. Classification and Characteristics of Air Suspensions

Classification by Structure: American - style VS European - style

European - style air suspensions adopt a forged flexible arm structure, usually designed as single - piece or multi - piece, and directly forged, belonging to flexible components. This design endows them with strong load - bearing capacity, capable of handling a single - axle load of 13 tons or more. The curved shape of the guiding arms allows the airbags to have a long shock - absorption stroke of over 200mm, resulting in excellent shock - absorption performance. They are suitable for trunk logistics, heavy - load transportation and other scenarios. However, they come with a relatively high cost, more complex structure, and higher maintenance difficulty and cost in case of failure.

American - style air suspensions feature a rigid "I - beam" - type fastening design, which are rigid components. The structure is more compact, theoretically 10% lighter than European - style suspensions, and more cost - effective. Moreover, the larger contact area between the guiding arms and axles provides better lateral support, ensuring good vehicle stability. They are ideal for standard - load transportation, highway express delivery and other working conditions. Nevertheless, due to their shorter shock - absorption stroke, their adaptability to complex road conditions is relatively weak.

Classification by the Number of Airbags

Common configurations for a single axle include 2 - airbag, 4 - airbag, and 8 - airbag setups. In terms of performance, the number of airbags is positively correlated with shock - absorption effect and load - bearing capacity. That is, 8 - airbag suspensions outperform 4 - airbag ones, which in turn are better than 2 - airbag ones. In terms of cost, the more airbags there are, the higher the purchase and maintenance costs. The cost of an 8 - airbag system is approximately 40% higher than that of a 2 - airbag system.

III. Decision - making: Is an Air Suspension Really for You?

Key Considerations:

✅ Recommended Scenarios: Trunk logistics, express delivery, transportation of high - value - added goods (such as precision equipment), drop - and - hook transportation;

❌ Cautionary Scenarios: Heavy - load mining operations, complex unpaved roads, transportation without fixed cargo sources.

Conclusion: Air suspensions have significant advantages in terms of lightweight design, comfort, and economy. However, rational selection should be made based on transportation scenarios and cost budgets. Traditional leaf springs still hold an irreplaceable position in extreme - load and harsh - condition operations.