Auxiliary air suspension on the "Mercedes Sprinter": reviews

2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:41

The Mercedes Sprinter is one of the most famous commercial vehicles in Europe. Based on this model, many modifications have been created. These are vans, passenger and cargo minibuses, onboard platforms and so on. But one thing unites these machines - leaf spring suspension. It is very simple to set up. But when it comes to increasing the carrying capacity, the question arises of installing an auxiliary air suspension on the Mercedes Sprinter. Feedback on this improvement is positive. But are there any pitfalls? Read about the installation of air suspension on the Mercedes Sprinter Classic, as well as the pros and cons of such a refinement, in our today's article.

Destination

What is this system for? In general, the air suspension serves to dampen vibrations from road bumps more gently.

It is also installed in order to change the ride height. Usually such suspensions are found on tuned cars. But with the "Sprinter" the situation is slightly different. Air suspension is installed on the Mercedes Sprinter Classic for other purposes. This is an increase in the carrying capacity of the car.

Why auxiliary

Many associate the installation of an air suspension with the complete dismantling of the former elastic elements - springs and springs. But in this case, the picture is different. A cylindrical air cylinder is fixed between the rear axle and the frame. When the machine is empty, it is in a non-working state. But as soon as the mass of the cargo exceeds one or more tons, cylinders are used.

They are inflated and under pressure raise the body relative to the ground. Thus, the auxiliary air suspension is an analogue of the classical reinforcement of the springs. And if in the latter case the driver had to drive a constantly hard car, then with pneumatics you can lower the pillows at any time. So, an empty car will walk smoothly on its multiple leaf springs.

Device and features

The design of this system is quite simple. Air balloons are the main elastic element. They are made of dense multilayer rubber. Their shape may be different. But if this is an air suspension for the Mercedes Sprinter 515, then the balloon consists of three "pills" that are interconnected. On the lightest versions, the Sprinter can be equipped with simply cylindrical air springs. Butusually such elements do not withstand a load of more than one ton - reviews say. The air suspension of the "Mercedes Sprinter" of the 906th model necessarily includes powerful cylinders that can withstand a load of up to three tons each. And this is without taking into account the fact that at low weight only factory springs are used.

Also in the design there are air lines. Depending on the configuration, they can be connected to the swap nipple, or to the receiver with a compressor. The latter option is more convenient to use - say the reviews. The air suspension of the Mercedes Sprinter in this case is controlled from a separate remote control. To pump up or lower the springs, just press the appropriate button. As for the swap nipples, the situation is different here - the reviews say. The air suspension of the Mercedes Sprinter in this case is pumped up manually. To do this, you need to use a third-party pump or a 12-volt compressor. According to the device, such a system is simpler, and its cost is low. But, as practice shows, in operation it delivers a lot of inconvenience. It takes a long time to wait until a third-party pump pumps up the system. And it doesn’t make sense to buy a more productive one - it’s cheaper to pay extra and install a suspension with a compressor.

Another component of pneuma is the receiver. It can be of different volumes, but for the "Sprinter" a three- or five-liter element is enough. The receiver itself is a cylindrical metal container, which is connected to the compressor and air lines. homethe task of this element is to contain air under pressure. It is held with the help of special electromagnetic valves. As soon as it opens, air will go to the pillows. Typically, a pressure of about ten atmospheres is maintained in the receiver. This is enough to raise and lower the pillows several times. By the way, when the cylinders are deflated, the air does not go back to the receiver. He enters the street. And the receiver is replenished with air thanks to the compressor.

The latter has a special sensor. It automatically turns off the power to the compressor when a certain pressure in the receiver is reached.

Is air suspension comfortable to use

As noted by the reviews, the air suspension on the Mercedes Sprinter will be far from superfluous. This is especially true for those who carry large loads on the Sprinter. Auxiliary suspension allows you to stiffen the springs and prevent buildups on the road. Every Sprinter owner knows how the car behaves when fully loaded. The suspension becomes soft, but sometimes it is not necessary. The car begins to rock and carry from side to side.

If the weight of the load is large, the only safe way out is to install an auxiliary air suspension on the rear axle. This will straighten the rear and make the car more manageable at speed. According to reviews, with such a suspension, side rolls are reduced. The machine behaves easier with an overload. The load on the regular spring sheets is also reduced. After all, partenergy and shocks are extinguished precisely by pillows. Earrings and silent blocks last longer.

Are there any pitfalls

Reviews say that such a suspension does not have any problems and "pitfalls". If necessary, it can be lowered, making the suspension travel softer. But there is a caveat: you can not ride on pillows, the pressure level in which is below one atmosphere. Even on an empty car, they must be inflated (at least minimally). This applies to all cars, be it the air suspension on the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 311 (906 body) or 416.

How much does it cost

The cost of a single-circuit air suspension, excluding the installation price for the Sprinter, is 20 thousand rubles. This is the simplest system, which includes:

• Two air balloons.
• Fittings, tubes seven meters long.
• Cylinder mounting plates.
• Inflation nipples and fittings.

There are also more expensive systems. They already include a receiver with a compressor. Such a system will cost about 30 thousand rubles. Remarkably, the design of the auxiliary suspension is the same for the Sprinter and for the Volkswagen Crafter. Also note that the cost of the system may vary depending on the car model.

So, the air suspension on the Mercedes Sprinter 515 will cost a little more. Here you will need more powerful pillows that can withstand not two, but three tons each. Well, if this is the air suspension on the Mercedes Sprinter 906 Dolphin, the simplest pillows will suffice.

How to install

Mounting the air suspension on the "Sprinter" is quite simple. First, a place is prepared for fastening metal plates for pillows. Next, the cylinders themselves are installed. They need to be centered and the metal platforms must be bolted. How is the air suspension mounted on the Mercedes Sprinter 313? Then the air lines are laid. They are connected to a compressor with a receiver. A control panel is installed in the cabin.

It is small and contains a pressure gauge and a couple of keys. It is wired from solenoid valves. If air suspension is installed on a Mercedes Sprinter 313 without a compressor, you should figure out where to place the swap nipple. It is usually placed under the passenger seat. And then, if necessary, they connect to it and pump in air.

Summing up

So we figured out what an auxiliary air suspension is and what kind of feedback it gets. Many car owners have already experienced all the advantages of such a suspension. It really saves when transporting heavy loads. As for the passenger "Sprinters", such a suspension is rarely installed. After all, these minibuses are almost never loaded. Reviews say that the installation of an auxiliary air suspension is relevant only for those involved in the transport of goods.