Air suspension "Ford Transit": description, installation, reviews

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

Ford Transit is a very common truck in Russia. Many choose it as an alternative to the Sprinter. The cost of "Transit" is less, and the characteristics of the carrying capacity and comfort are at the same level. There are different modifications of these trucks - from minibuses to 20-cc vans and refrigerators. Usually, springs or leaf springs are placed on the rear axle of Transits. But many owners are replacing this suspension with a pneumatic one. What does it give? Consider in our today's article.

Characteristic

Pneumatic is a type of suspension with which you can adjust the ride height. This system is widely used in commercial vehicles. Manufacturers are gradually moving away from archaic multi-leaf springs in favor of air springs.

Now all semi-trailers and heavy vehicles are equipped with them. As for small commercial vehicles (up to three tons and below), air suspension is less common here. This is due to the strong rise in the cost of the car - the system is much more complicated than coil springs and springs. How the air suspension is arranged, we will describe below.

About design

This system consists of several elements:

Air balloons. They act on the principle of springs and springs - they hold the weight of the car and partially dampen vibrations. You can see what the pneumatic cylinders look like on the Transit below. They are made from a thick piece of rubber. The inside is filled with high pressure air. Due to its elastic design, the pillow can change shape, thereby adjusting the clearance

• Compressor. Serves for pumping air into the receiver. The latter has a volume of 3 to 10 liters. When installing air suspension on a Ford Transit, it is recommended to use a 10-liter receiver. Usually it is located in the body or in the cab. Note that the budget air suspension installed on the Ford Transit may not include these elements (receivers). As for the compressor, it is the main component of the system. Without it, the work of the suspension is simply impossible. The unit is powered by 12 volts and automatically turns off when a certain pressure is reached.
• Air lines. Through them, air moves under pressure from the compressor to the actuators.
• Electronic sensors. Trackingposition and tilt of the car body in real time. Thus, the cylinders can be pumped up at a certain moment, making the car more stable on the road. These sensors interact with the control unit. But such electronics are rarely installed on commercial vehicles. More often this is the lot of business and premium cars.

What is the relevance of the receiver?

When choosing an air suspension kit for the Ford Transit, you should not save on this element. The device allows you to store air under pressure for a long time. If it is necessary to raise the car, the air from the receiver quickly (within 4-5 seconds) replenishes the air spring chamber. The latter becomes more solid, and the clearance increases. In the absence of a receiver, air will be pumped directly into the pillows. But this is very long and harmful to the compressor. With frequent use, it may simply burn out.

Benefits

How does the Ford Transit behave on air suspension? Owner reviews claim that the installation of pillows allows you to eliminate the consequences of overloading the car. These are side rolls, breakage of springs and breakdowns of the suspension. Regarding the last factor, the balloon acts as a buffer, preventing the frame from coming into contact with the mainspring.

What else do they say about the "Ford Transit" on air suspension reviews? Also, the car becomes more comfortable. The pillow smoothly dampens vibrations and shocks when hitting bumps. For this reason, air suspension is often installed on the FordTransit" minibus.

Still, the main factor that pushes owners to install air suspension in the Ford Transit is an increase in carrying capacity. And with this task, the cylinders, according to reviews, cope "excellently." The load on the standard springs is minimal, and the ground clearance remains the same.

Flaws

Why is the air suspension on the passenger-and-freight Ford Transit and other modifications not installed from the factory? One of the negative factors is low maintainability. In the event of a cylinder breakdown (and this is a depressurization), it must be changed entirely. The compressor is also difficult to repair. And the system itself is not cheap. How much will it cost to install air suspension on a Ford Transit? The price of the most budget option starts from 20 thousand rubles. A complete set can be installed for 100 thousand.

Which one to choose?

For small commercial vehicles, it is often chosen to install air suspension only on the rear axle.

As for the type, it is better to install a single circuit system. You can put a double-circuit, but it makes no sense - the reviews say.

Installation

How do you install the air suspension on the Ford Transit with your own hands? Note that for installation it is not required to completely redo the chassis. Consider the most popular option - the installation of a single-circuit air suspension on the Ford Transit (the price of the kit is from 15 thousand rubles) on the rear axle. First, the brackets for the pillows are installed. The upper one is attached to the frame, the lower one is attached to the leaf spring.

In the course of work, it is necessary to make holes for the bolted connections of the brackets. Next, pneumatic cylinders are installed here. They are connected to hoses. It is better to install a compressor with a receiver in the cabin. In the engine compartment, space is limited, and in the back (if it is a booth), it can be damaged. We connect solenoid valves to the unit and display the control panel on the front panel. This completes the installation of the air suspension in the Ford Transit. The tubes should be laid along the inside of the frame, fastening them to the clamps.

We extend the resource

In order for the cylinders to serve for a long time (and this is half the cost of the entire system kit), you need to know some rules for caring for them. The rubber coating of the pillows is very afraid of road reagents and dirt. Even small particles can act as an abrasive at the joints of air springs. In order for the pillows to serve for a long time and not to be lowered, they should be periodically cleaned of dirt. And in winter - treat with silicone.

As the temperature drops, the rubber becomes hard and even in the absence of dirt, it begins to "eat" itself. Silicone will create a kind of layer that will provide free movement of the airbag components.

Conclusion

So, we found out what air suspension is, how and why it is installed on the Ford Transit. Judging by the reviews, many are satisfied with this choice. The air suspension improves the stability of the car on the road and increases the carrying capacity, which is especially important incommercial activities.