Progress With Pneumatic Springs in Germany
Page 65
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
DETAILS arc now available of the air suspension system employed by M.A.N. on their 760 1.101 underfloorengincd bus. Two prototype examples of this vehicle were exhibited at the 1957 Frankfurt International Motor Show, since when the system has been fully proved and developed and is now offered in production form to meet operators' requirements.
The front suspension is similar to that employed by Guy Motors, Ltd., on their new air-sprung underfloor-engined passenger chassis in that it is an independent layout employing pairs of unequal-length wishbones, with a rolling-lobe air-spring acting on the upper wishbone at each side.
Each spring has its own levelling valve. which is set to give .a delay period of between 1 and 11 seconds, and it would appear from photographs of the installation that the exhaust from these levelling valves is piped back into the system reduce the noise when levelling.
At the rear the conventional axle to carried on radius arms which are cranked down sharply immediately behind the is axle and joined by a cross-member which' has a diaphragm-type air-spring at each end, with telescopic dampers immediately behind these. • As at the front, there is a levelling valve on each wheel, and these have the same delay setting. The wide spring base at the rear should combine with the independent front-suspension layout to give good anti-roll characteristics.