Air suspension in the motorhome

Air suspension in the motorhome – main image

When a car is driven with a heavy load, often bordering on the maximum allowed by a given manufacturer, the suspension must meet special challenges. Taking this into account, well-known manufacturers such as Goldschmitt, Drive Rite, or VB offer exceptionally strong air suspensions, which are intended especially for campers and special vehicles (including ambulances and fire brigade vehicles).

The range of vehicles that have to move under heavy loads is - contrary to appearances - not small. The problem applies not only to tourist vehicles, but also to mobile shops and offices, tankers, and technical support vehicles. Such cars often work in various conditions - for example, one day they have to cover a very long distance at a relatively high speed, on another day they travel on holes, potholes or even dirt roads. With such vehicles in mind, Elcamp from Krakow installs high-class air suspensions.

For us, holidays are a test of durability for the suspension

But let's focus on campers. Touring cars are usually permanently equipped with furniture and devices that constantly load them. Additionally, during long trips, they are sometimes burdened to the limits of their capabilities . When, for example, a family with children is packing for a trip, each member of the household may think that they can pack any amount of luggage into the camper. And when no one feels the need to limit themselves, those who come on board include: bicycles, surfboards, various equipment and food supplies. Let's not forget about the passengers themselves - in a family of five, their weight alone can easily exceed 200 kg.

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Meanwhile, for the car, such a load means very difficult operating conditions, and when the camper drives onto an unpaved road, these will even be extreme conditions. They will affect the degradation of the suspension or its components (springs, steering rods, bearings). Initially, such degradation will be unnoticeable. Unfortunately, once a problem occurs, it cannot be prevented - a failure can effectively immobilize the vehicle and force us to make an expensive repair at the most inopportune moment.

Prevention is better than cure

To avoid such a situation, you can decide in advance to have the air suspension installed in a specialized company. Depending on individual requirements and financial possibilities, you can choose a support kit or a full air suspension kit.

- The supporting air suspension is an additional system and uses the vehicle's original suspension as a base, strengthening and stabilizing it - explains Michał Gąsior from Elcamp . - Pneumatic airbags are an element that takes over most of the vehicle's loads in an active way - adjusted to the current weight, thus improving the car's grip, stability and driving comfort. The vehicle then becomes more resistant to heavy mass loads and surface unevenness, and at the same time responds much better to the driver's commands, he adds.

It is also worth mentioning that by maintaining a constant body height, air suspension contributes to significant savings in fuel consumption and suspension components , because its operation is transferred to the most optimal range.

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However, the best solution will be to install a full air suspension.

- Full air suspension is the most modern solution available on the market - emphasizes Michał Gąsior. - Thanks to automatic control and programmed options (specifically to a given situation and conditions), it is possible to set the suspension to the required level. The adhesion of the wheels to the ground is always optimal , and loading does not affect the steering of the car. Driving safety and comfort increases. Traction control also improves, which is especially noticeable when braking and making sharp turns, says an Elcamp representative.

The variety of available kits means that almost any vehicle can be equipped with such suspensions - both a camper and a delivery van.

Air suspension in the motorhome – image 1
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marcin
marcin

Sometimes it is better to get lost than to ask for directions too much. Aldous Huxley

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The larch routes of Les Orres – image 1
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The larch routes of Les Orres
Les Orres is a small but very picturesque French ski station. It is located in close proximity to the village of Embrun, in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. The proximity of Lake Serre-Ponçon and the surrounding larch forests, combined with the gradually increasing number of well-prepared ski slopes, ensure the station's interest in tourists. It is approximately 1,860 km away from Warsaw. By car, this distance can be covered in approximately 20 hours. When planning a vacation in Les Orres , you need to be prepared that it will be difficult to take advantage of all the attractions offered by the resort. There may simply not be enough time for it. 101 km of slopes of all levels of difficulty await skiers - gentle and easy in the lower parts of the mountains (making it an ideal ski resort for beginners) and demanding in the higher ones, including the red Grand Cabane running between forests, almost 6 km long. There are smaller slopes at Les Orres 1800 , ideal for driving lessons. At an altitude of more than 2,000 m above sea level, there are ambitious routes that should not be used by people without experience. It is an area of quite long routes, mostly red, running from the mountain ridge to the station itself. While hiking on Clos Deguis, Bergerie, Boussolenc or Myrtilles, apart from the next sips of adrenaline, you can focus on admiring the valley with its villages and the mirror of Serre-Ponçon Lake. It is better to concentrate on the most difficult route of the resort, the famous L'Horrible ("Terrifying") or the black Pousterle, which is used in organizing international competitions. In addition to the ski runs served by 22 lifts, the station offers an ice rink, a toboggan run and a snow park with a boardercross track, snowmobile riding, paragliding and climbing frozen waterfalls. There are also restaurants and pubs, the resort also has a disco and a cinema.