Pneumatic suspension on "Sable": description, photo, specifications

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

Sable is a fairly common car in Russia. In fact, this is the "younger brother" of the GAZelle. This machine has been produced since the late 90s. The suspension of the "Sable" is similar to the GAZelevskaya. The front can be springs or coil springs. But behind the Sobol, a purely spring, dependent suspension is installed. She behaves harshly in the pits. In addition, when fully loaded, the machine sags a lot. How to solve this problem? Many decide to install air suspension. Sobol 4x4, whose cross-country characteristics are comparable to a jeep, is also subjected to such tuning. Well, let's look at the features of this pendant and find out how it is installed.

Characteristic

Air suspension is an alternative to the classic suspension, where springs or leaf springs act as elastic elements. On some machines, it is installed at the factory. But GAZ cars are not included in thislist.

So the system has to be mounted abnormally. The air suspension installed on the Sobol (you can see a photo of it in our article) allows not only to expand the technical characteristics of the minibus, but also makes it possible to adjust the clearance on the go. Such a system is controlled from the cab.

What does it do?

Why is air suspension installed on the Sobol 4x4. The technical characteristics of this car do not allow taking on board more than 770 kilograms. If you load more than the norm, the suspension will rest against the bumpers - the blows from the pits will be transmitted directly to the frame. It is not safe. But how to increase the load capacity without the classic increase in the number of leaf springs? Now this can be done with the help of air springs.

Another plus of this suspension is the softness of the ride. With springs, it will not be possible to provide such a smooth ride as with air tanks. The car is very “goaty” on bumps, which, of course, is displayed on the comfort of control and on the condition of the transported cargo. If the Sobol travels unloaded, the cylinders can be lowered (but not below the minimum rate - we will talk about this at the end of the article). The suspension will be soft. With classic springs, such a “manoeuvre” will not work.

Types

There are several types of air suspension:

• Single-loop. The cheapest and most popular type. Mounted on one axle (usually rear). Usuallyused on light duty trucks.
• Double-circuit. In this case, four cylinders are mounted for each wheel. Such a system involves independent adjustment of the level of clearance and stiffness of the pillows on the front and rear axles.
• Four-circuit. As in the previous case, the car is equipped with four airbags. However, due to the presence of additional valves and lines, the pressure can be adjusted on each pillow individually. Typically, such a system is not put on commercial vehicles. A four-circuit air suspension on the GAZelle Sobol will cost more than 80 thousand rubles. It is very expensive. However, such a system is present on many premium cars - Audi, BMW and Mercedes.

What to choose at Sable?

Which air suspension is better to install on GAZ Sobol? Owner reviews say that the best option is to install a single-circuit system. The cost of a set of such air suspension for Sobol is 15 thousand rubles. If there are springs on the minibus and in the front, they can be supplemented with air cylinders too. In this case, you will have to pay 10 thousand rubles for the Sobol front air suspension. This will be a two-circuit system.

Remarkably, the packaging of these products is the same. It differs only in the number of brackets and pneumatic elements. In addition to these, the set includes:

• Compressor.
• Receiver (average capacity is about five liters).
• Fittings, fittings.
• Air lines. Typically, the diameter of such tubes is 6 millimeters.
• Protective corrugated sleeve.
• Inflation nipple.
• Solenoid valves.
• Control unit (may be equipped with dial gauge).
• Clamping elements.
• Hardware (bolts, nuts, washers).

Specifications

Let's look at the technical characteristics of the air springs that are installed on the Sobol:

• Composition of elastic elements - rubber compound with nylon cord. The latter is covered in three layers. The cushion itself is a triple bellows.
• Cylinder diameter - from 12 to 13.5 centimeters depending on pressure.
• Minimum loaded height is 9.5 cm.
• Maximum height is 24.5 centimeters.
• Working pressure - from two to eight atmospheres.
• Maximum pressure before failure - 25 atmospheres.
• Mount holes - stud (three pieces) and fitting.
• The lifting force of one pneumatic element is more than 850 kilograms.

Thus, the total carrying capacity of the Sobol easily doubles. But it is worth remembering that the load will be removed only from the suspension elements. Bridge, engine and gearbox will endure heavy wear. Therefore, do not be zealous with overloads.

The air suspension installed on the Sobol has the following size: 140/3. The minimum working pressure is 0.5 bar. This is a prerequisite, without which the long-term performance of the pillow cannot be guaranteed. Otherwise, whenhitting bumps, the material of the pneumatic element itself will be damaged. The operating temperature range is from minus 30 to plus 45 degrees Celsius. Under such conditions, reliable and high-quality operation of the elastic elements is guaranteed. But there are some rules that should be followed during operation. We will consider them at the end of the article, but for now we will tell you how the air suspension is installed on the Sobol.

Installation technology

The air spring is assembled on a special platform. It consists of several metal plates, tightly fixed to each other at different angles. The triple bellows is installed in the space between the rear axle (the so-called stocking) and the frame. The design looks like this:

Bolted connections are used to fasten the pads to the pads. In the upper part, the platform is connected to the frame. Next, air hoses are connected to each pillow. They are carried out towards the compressor, fixing to the frame on the screeds. The compressor itself is desirable to install in the cabin. How to route hoses into the cab? You don't need to drill holes for this. Sobol already has technological cutouts. Elements are laid in the interior as in the photo below:

Nipples shown here. From them we connect to the compressor itself. It is desirable that the latter be equipped with a receiver. This will allow you to quickly pump air into the pillows without involving the electric motor. Installed next to the receiversolenoid valves. It is they who will let air into one or two pillows at once. The compressor and valves are powered from a 12 V network. It is advisable to use an additional fuse in the circuit. This will prevent the compressor from failing in the event of increased voltage.

What's next?

The final stage is the installation of the control unit. It can be installed on the front panel or under the seat. It is desirable that it be in a conspicuous place. You can use the technological plug for this, which is on the center console.

Operating Rules

In order for the air suspension on the Sobol to last as long as possible, you need to follow some operating rules. So, the manufacturer does not recommend using the system when the pressure of the pillows is below 0.5 atmospheres. Do not exceed the maximum allowable rate. Ideally, pillows should be used between one and eight atmospheres of pressure.

Check the system for leaks every six months. Pillow diagnostics are performed in the same way as checking old tire chambers. It is necessary to spray the soapy solution on the surface and monitor the presence of bubbles. If the pillows "poison", this can adversely affect the compressor resource. He will be constantly in work.

In winter, treat pillows with silicone. As the temperature decreases, the rubber material becomes harder. Even in the absence of dirt (the presence of which is undesirable on the cylinder), significant friction occurs. In order to eliminate tension, once amonth use silicone in the form of an aerosol. This will significantly extend the life of the cushions and ensure the elasticity of the rubber shell.

These were the basic rules for operating air springs. By adhering to them, you will ensure long and reliable operation of the entire pneumatic system.

Conclusion

So, we found out what air suspension is, how it is installed on a GAZ Sobol car and what types it happens. This is a very useful form of tuning.