Common air suspension problems and its uses

Airbag or air strut failures are usually caused by wet rust, aging, or moisture in the air system being damaged from the inside.Air suspension components can fail as the rubber dries out.Debris on the road can puncture the airbag.For custom applications, improper installation may cause the airbag to rub against the frame or other surrounding components, causing damage to the frame. Overextension of the air spring not being adequately restrained by other suspension components such as the shock absorber can also lead to premature failure of the air spring through tearing of the compliant layer.Failure of the air springs can also cause the vehicle to be completely immobilized because the vehicle would rub against the ground or be too high to move.However, most modern automotive systems have overcome many of these issues.

An air line failure is a failure of the tubing that connects the air bag or strut to the rest of the air system,usually a DOT-approved nylon air brake line.This usually happens when the air line that must be connected to the airbag through the vehicle's chassis rubs against a sharp edge of a chassis component or a moving suspension component,causing a hole to form.This failure mode usually takes some time to occur after the initial installation of the system as the integrity of a section of air line is compromised to the point of failure due to friction and resulting material wear.An air line failure can also occur if a piece of road debris strikes the air line and punctures or tears it,although this is less likely to occur in normal road use.It does happen in rough off-road conditions, but it's still uncommon if installed correctly.Air fitting failures usually occur when first installed or when they are rarely used.Cheap low-quality components are often very unreliable. Air fittings are used to connect components such as bags, valves, and solenoids to air lines that carry air.They are screwed into the assembly and most of the push-in or push-in point wires are inserted into the fittings.

Compressor failures are mainly due to air spring or air strut leaks.In order to maintain the correct air pressure in a leaky air system, the compressor will burn out.A burned compressor can also be caused by moisture within the air system coming into contact with its electronic components.This is more likely to happen with low-spec compressors with insufficient duty cycles, which are usually bought for their low cost. For system redundancy, two compressors are usually a better choice.In a dryer malfunction, the function of the dryer is to remove moisture from the air system, but eventually it becomes saturated and unable to perform that function.This can cause moisture to build up in the system and can cause air spring damage and/or compressor burnout.

ECAS issues

The ECAS computer can use pre-programmed criteria to detect failures, preventing the system from going into "hard failure mode", which lowers the vehicle to the suspension stops, allowing it to remain usable with substantially reduced performance before repairs.Many enthusiasts use diagnostic devices such as laptops and PDAs running specially developed software to clear up spurious faults and avoid the need for repairs. Some people "trick" the system by adjusting the lever ratio on the height sensing device, or using a secondary ECU to always manipulate the sensor to set the vehicle to a specific ride height.System leaks are usually caused by excessive duty cycles that cause primary seal wear, which can lead to premature compressor failure.

Use on coaches and buses

Buses currently on the market have suspension systems consisting of mechanical or air suspension systems.Compared with similar products, the air suspension system has significant advantages.By varying the pressure, the vehicle height can be maintained at a specific value regardless of the load.Standard coaches also have a system called a ferry lift.This allows the air suspension to be raised above the normal ride height level to aid in the loading and unloading of passenger cars on ferries where the ramps are steep and there is a risk of grounding, but can also be used on rough ground or steep hilltops.While ferry lifts may be installed on some buses, kneeling facilities are more common on public transit buses.This helps to reduce the height of the steps for easier access by passengers.The kneeling facility is also used when using the built-in wheelchair ramp.Due to many advantages, air suspension has been widely used in commercial vehicles since 1980.