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Axles and suspensions
Page 55
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Daimierehrysler's trailer axle division has come up with a prototype DCA Airmaster, which stores all the air for the suspension and braking within the axle tube and trailing arms.
The 9.0-tonne disc-braked axle has its air inlet and moisture-release valves mounted at the rear for protection. The amount of air stored varies between 37 and 40 litres according to the wheel track.
This makes conventional air tanks redundant, freeing up a large amount of space under the trailer.
Minus tanks, brackets and often paintwork, there's a weight saving of up to 40kg which is especially good news for builders of bottom-loading tankers.
The Airmaster will be available from next August.
There is also a new Megamaster 9.0tonne axle for high-cube trailers, based on DC's Weightmaster. It can be supplied with 430mm discs on 22.5in wheels or 370mm discs on 19,5in wheels.
Tanker operators at Hanover showed great interest in Gigant's ERA independently sprung running gear. The double swingarm design, which is common in coaches, is Belgian engineer Tony Geusens's idea; it was developed by Gigant axle manufacturer Trenkamp &Gehle.
The wheel carrier bolts to the frame via two sets of aluminium transverse control arms mounted on heavy-duty, maintenance-free bearings.
Combined air bellows and dampers form a single module; electronic braking is from the standard EuroAchse axle.
Instead of a ladder frame. T&G uses a fabricated plated frame with wheel-station receivers attached. The centre tube, also an air reservoir, provides longitudinal stability. According to MD Markus Gehle, the whole frame is nearly twice as strong as a ladder frame.
It is lighter too: at 376kg it scales 30kg less than a conventional rigid axle and the centre frame saves another 60kg. We obviously want major trailer manufacturers to take our new ERA design," Gehle explains, but we also want to interest smaller specialist firms."