Air vs spring suspension system 1

[RachelK]

Hi,

I am struggling to choose between an air or spring suspension system for a low bed to transport 2 heavy transformers (180 tonnes each).
I did a lot of research and I'm leaning towards air suspension. Are there any calculations that I can do to compare these two suspension systems.
Please help!

 

[MikeHalloran]

Are you designing some kind of trailer or transport deck?
Don't. You can rent what you need.
Better, you can engage a professional to rent what he needs.

Both transformers on one vehicle, or two vehicles, or two trips?

For an idea about what's possible, search on >Mammoet<.

Then, call a rigger and let them figure it out.



Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[IRstuff]

Transformers don't strike me as being particularly fragile.

TTFN
faq731-376

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[MikeHalloran]

At 180 long tons, everything near the transformer is fragile.


Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[TheBlacksmith]

Even the pros have issues. We had professionals moving 100 ton generators in August. On an incline, the truck began rolling up the already warm asphault like a mud bogger or pulling tractor. Since they were restricted to daylight travel by the permits (no waiting until sun went down), they had to use a pusher truck.

 

[MintJulep]

What are you trying to accomplish? Or prevent?

What research have you done, and what factors are making you inclined to choose an air spring?

Assuming that you are interested in the forces or accelerations imparted on the transformers as the trailer rolls over the road, fundamentally you have a forced spring-damper-mass system.

 

[tbuelna]

360 tons worth of transformers on a low bed trailer would imply that you will need several axles (and lots of tires) located at both ends of the trailer with none in the middle. I would think you would want to use a combination of metal and pneumatic suspension springs. The metal leaf springs would support most of the load, and the pneumatic system would be used to balance, level and distribute the load equally between the large number of tires.

 

[truckandbus]

the rated capacity of the suspension is the rated capacity of the suspension - so it won't mattter if you use a trailer with air springs or steel springs as long as the load is within that capacity.

Air springs are nice because you can dump the air to reduce the loading height should that become an issue.