Suspension 'first'
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WHAT IS CLAIMED to be Britain's first all-hydraulic road vehicle suspension has been developed by Rydewell Suspensions.
Intended primarily for multiaxle low loaders, it caters for axle loads of up to 16.5 tonnes.
Each hydraulic suspension cylinder is ball-pivoted to the axle at 190mrn (7.51n) in front of the beam centre line providing ±150mm (6in) of vertical wheel travel.
These cylinders operate at a working pressure of 125 bar (1,800psi) fed from a hydraulic pump driven either by a donkey engine or a power take-off on the tractive unit.
On low-loaders with hydraulic-powered detachable or folding gooseneck mechanisms, the same pump and power source can serve both functions — suspension and gooseneck Operation.
Interconnection of all suspension cylinders on each side of the trailer — possibly with even six or more axles — is claimed to ensure proper load equalisation with different road conditions.
Separate left and right-hand ride height controls allow the trailer to be levelled for negotiating adverse cambers with high centre of gravity loads.
Rydewell, an associate company of Transquip International Trailers, claims that the cost of the system is less than the equivalent air or rubber-bag hydraulic suspension.