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Air Bag Suspension
By
Bob Hataway
Have you ever experienced a blown air bag? A driver's tractor was
equipped with air bag suspension on the drive axles. He had been
pleased with the ride performance of the suspension,.
He had been cautioned to watch the loading of his trailer due to the
air bags, but missed the added weight on the nose. His total weight
was within the legal limits and he did not weigh the axles.
He entered a curve faster than he wanted and attempted to slow down.
The added pressure of the existing load caused the passenger side air
bag to blow.
The blowout caused the driver to panic. In the ensuing moments the
unit turned in the inside median. A 4-wheeler approaching from the
opposite direction attempted to escape by running off the road on the
opposite shoulder. An elderly man and his grandson were killed were
killed in the 4-wheeler.
We can draw some conclusions from this accident to help us avoid
needless death on the highway.
1. Check the previous inspection report when reporting for duty for
possible flaws or existing problems with air bags. And visually check
the air bags for any obvious problems that might be evident during
your pre-trip inspection.
2. Be aware of the weight distribution on the drive and trailer
axles. Evenly distributed loads will ride better and allow the air
bags to function properly.
3. Be familiar with road conditions such as curves,and dips.
Compensate by adjusting your speed to ensure proper maneuvering
through all traffic obstacles.
Bottom Line: Trust what you know -- do what you know. You will be
the winner!
That's the way I see it - Bob Hataway - TransAlive.