Air suspension emerged in the mid-19th century and went through multiple stages of development, including pneumatic springs, airbag composite suspension, semi-active air suspension, and central inflatable suspension. It was not until the 1950s that it was applied to heavy-duty vehicles, buses, small cars, and railway vehicles.

The air suspension is lightweight, can be lifted and lowered, and runs smoothly. It can slow down vehicle vibration, reduce fuel consumption, reduce noise pollution, enhance cargo protection, and improve transportation efficiency. The more precise the components, the more likely they are to be damaged, and air suspension is no exception.

Analysis of Common Faults in Air Suspension

1. Airbag malfunction

(1) Airbag surface wear

Insufficient clearance between the airbag and surrounding components, or the presence of foreign objects such as sand and soil on the airbag base, can easily cause abnormal friction and damage to the airbag during operation. When the shock absorber is damaged or the air or brake pipes become loose, it is also easy to cause interference and friction with the airbag, causing wear on the airbag surface.

(2) Chemical erosion on the surface of the airbag

When lubricating grease, oil, or gasoline are adhered to the surface of the airbag, if not cleaned in a timely manner, it can cause corrosion to the rubber.

(3) Airbag aging

The airbag may age prematurely or normally due to contamination with oil or other substances.

(4) Insufficient or no air in the airbag

The dedicated air storage tank for air suspension is empty or has low pressure. When the trailer's air pressure is below 6 kilograms, the pressure protection valve will suspend the supply of air to the air suspension air storage tank to ensure that the braking system maintains sufficient pressure;

The air pipeline is blocked or discounted, and there is no air flow;

The connecting rod of the horizontal height valve has fallen off;

The level valve is damaged.

(5) Airbag wrinkles

When the vehicle is transported for lifting or entering or exiting the maintenance workshop or a large ramp, the airbag is excessively stretched and does not reset properly, resulting in airbag wrinkles.

2. Upper cover plate fault

(1) Upper cover plate depression

The height of the air suspension is too low, and the air spring works under low air pressure for a long time;

Height control valve failure;

The air pressure inside the rubber airbag is too low, and the vehicle is severely overloaded;

The air spring model used is incorrect.

(2) Upper cover plate protrusion

The height of the air suspension is too high, and the air spring operates under abnormal air pressure for a long time;

Height control valve failure;

The shock absorber is damaged or the model does not match;

The air spring model used is incorrect.

(3) Loose or tripped screws on the upper cover plate

The air spring tightened by screws may have uneven force on the bolts around the upper cover circumference during assembly, resulting in slow loosening and tripping during operation.

3. Throttling board failure Throttling board detachment

For throttle valves that use bolt tightening to ensure the relative position between the seat and valve sleeve, the nut is prone to loosening during vibration, resulting in the seat and valve sleeve becoming loose and detached.

4. Air leakage fault

(1) Cracking or air leakage at the joint between the airbag and the upper cover plate/piston base, or air leakage at the root of the bolt, is generally caused by the air spring working for a long time beyond the allowable range of extension travel;

(2) The air pressure inside the airbag is too high, causing severe overloading;

(3) The shock absorber is damaged or the model does not match;

(4) The eccentric contact of the buffer block causes local wear at the joint between the rubber airbag and the upper cover plate edge or piston base;

(5) In winter, the temperature is too low and the temperature difference is large, resulting in damage to the outer surface of the capsule.

Air suspension installation precautions

When installing air suspension, the upper and lower cover plates or bases should be on the same centerline as much as possible to reduce the deviation and tilt of the centerline;

At the same time, sufficient installation and working space should be reserved to ensure that the air suspension does not generate any friction with other components and does not interfere with any components during operation;

During installation, be careful not to damage the appearance of the airbag;

When selecting air suspension, a reasonable model should be strictly selected according to relevant technical indicators, and high-strength rubber airbags should be selected as much as possible, and set to a reasonable pressure value, not too high or too low;

For air suspensions that require bolt tightening and sealing, try to choose high-quality bolts and lock them according to the specified torque.