Suspension ideas for better ride quality discussion

[toyota231]

Well ive had a lot of time to sit around and thinking while im waiting on our baby to make her debut. Im trying to figure out a good suspension design for the rear of my truck and then possibly the front. Me and a buddy were studying his peterbilt's suspension and were throwing around ideas so I thought I'd throw them out here and get some opinions. Im looking for an air bag suspension and being a truck driver I know how well some of those designs work.

Ive got three designs im thinking of, well close to the designs.

1st is the pete low air leaf design. The biggest problem i see is the spring extended as a bag mount



Next is the same design but a different axle bag mount


The third is a Volvo/Mack design thats new. Basically a link design with bags, almost like a newer superduty front suspension.


Im thinking in can do any of these for less than $400. I can get most of the parts like bags, and air lines, and stuff for all the air setup cheap off of salvage big trucks. I just know these suspensions handle 80,000 pounds with 4 bags so it should handle my truck easily, plus the easy adjustability of air bags for ride control. Discussion away.

[mknittle]

My dad built a set up like the second one That is a miniature copy of the Peterbilt air leaf on his 89 W250. it works pretty good. And looks cool. what he did was cut the stock rear springs and fabracated the perches where the bags sit. I will post som pictures as soon as I can get them.


And a big congratulations on the baby!!!

[toyota231]

Thank you. Im hoping the little monster will be here in the next few days.

Pictures would be much appreciated. I was leaning towards that design because i could basically use a lot of stuff i already have. Also any input from your dad on how well it works and if there is anything he would change would be appreciated.

[oldestof11]

Go 4th Gen 3500 style. I'm personally going to do this.

[mknittle]

Got some pics all I have to do is figure out how to post them.

[toyota231]

If you have a photobucket account thats the easiest. Upload to photobucket then click on the photo link and paste it here.

[Tacoclaw]

I looked into that 4thgen setup a lot when I was brainstorming traction bars for my truck. I didn't want giant bars hanging under everything looking gay, so I was trying to do what they did and go above the leaf. It seems however, that having the bar above like that will still allow wrap because it's still able to deflect the spring and roll forward. Having the bar on the bottom of the axle forces the axle to try to compress the bar and stretch that section of leaf spring, which is a much tougher thing for it to do.

I would imagine with a single leaf down there it would be even more of a problem.

[dazedandconfused]

Got some pics all I have to do is figure out how to post them.

Link in my SIG shows how to post pics.

[toyota231]

I have to agree taco. I tried a traction bar setup like that on a toyota crawler and it didn't work. Like you said it still had axle wrap. I guess because the axle is actually pulling on the bar as it twists instead of pushing makes the difference.

[oldestof11]

Mount it towards the back.

[Tacoclaw]

Same story, you have to put the spring in tension for it to work the best. If you try to push against the spring, it will bow and allow movement.



Don't get me wrong, it's better than nothing, but it's not optimal. The 4thgen setup would work best in a braking scenario, it would push on the solid bar and try to stretch the spring.

[toyota231]

Even mounted backwards I think the "twist" of the axle is controlled much less with the traction bar mounted on top as opposed to the bottom. I say this because a good friend of mine has a 4th gen Dually and ive noticed some wheel hop in different situations. My truck will be a dually and lifted on dual 37's so im afraid that style design just won't work for how much power and traction ill have. I may be wrong but hey thats my opinion on it.

[Fred_M1010]

I looked into that 4thgen setup a lot when I was brainstorming traction bars for my truck. I didn't want giant bars hanging under everything looking gay, so I was trying to do what they did and go above the leaf. It seems however, that having the bar above like that will still allow wrap because it's still able to deflect the spring and roll forward. Having the bar on the bottom of the axle forces the axle to try to compress the bar and stretch that section of leaf spring, which is a much tougher thing for it to do.

I would imagine with a single leaf down there it would be even more of a problem.

It doesn't have have to hang low.
Take a look at the type of traction bars used by rock-crawlers.
I think a traction bar like this, in combination with a soft leaf spring and airbags would work pretty well.
I've been thinking of doing something like that, in combination with 64" springs from a Chevy...

http://www.offroaddesign.com/catalog/tractionbar.htm

[Matt's'93]

Here is a company that sells a rear air setup for many different vehicle, including pickups, that bolts into the factory spring hangers. It's basically a miniature version of the Freightliner Airliner suspension. I am hoping to build a system similar to this for my 1993 W350 some day...
http://www.autoflexsuspensions.com/shop ... px?recid=7

If that link doesn't work you can Google Auto flex suspension and find them that way.

[cmann250]

As far as simplicity, I like the Neway design.

http://www.kenworth.com/media/2148/2011 ... Single.jpg

I've always wanted to try it on a pick-up.