Ridewell's Ridelite suspensions are now offered in two 25,000-lb. capacities, one for trailer air-rides the other for auxiliary axles on vocational vehicles.
The trailer suspension is for platform, tank, dump, grain and specialized trailers in weight-conscious fleets.
Weighing 110-120 pounds less than the company's Monopivot 240 Series, the new Ridelite eliminates the cross channel and hanger wings along with improvements to the alignment system.
The suspension is completely assembled with shock absorbers and height valve to make assembly easy. It is available as a bolt-on or a weld-on assembly.
Ridewell's SpeedSet alignment feature permits one inch of adjustment at the hanger with only a 450 lb.-ft. torque of the pivot bolt.
The suspension is disc-brake compatible and suitable for all 5-inch round axles.
The company has also introduced the Mono-Lift 225 auxiliary axle with 82.5-lb. weight savings compared with previous Ridewell designs. The non-steerable air-ride lifting axle eliminates four service points and features Ridewell's huck-secured bushing, which can be easily serviced without high-pressure presses. Replacement bushings are reassembled using ordinary bolts and nuts. The axle can be straight or drop-center.
Watson and Chalin has added a light, 8,000-lb. steerable lift axle to its offering under the Tru-Track Super Life name. The 17.5-inch wheels and tires for weight savings over its 13,200-lb. axle.
The steerable lift axle is used in applications where the higher rated axles have more capacity than needed. In some pusher- and tag-axle applications, the new auxiliaries can reduce vehicle weight by 1,500 pounds, and because of the more easily packaged designs, boost payloads by two tons or more. The axle has 13.5-inch total travel and up to 11-inch lift.
Alcoa has rolled out the Dura-Flange wheel, featuring a patented treatment developed for applications where loads are heavy and prone to shifting, causing tire walls to rub against the wheel rims.
The wheels offer additional protection in applications such as transit, tanker and heavy hauling.
East Manufacturing has developed East Lite-Ride, a new aluminum integrated subframe for its frameless dump trailers.
The East Lite-Ride aluminum suspension hanger is welded to the new subframe, resulting in a weight savings of more than 400 lbs. The total trailer weight is then comparable to the operational weight of a round-bottom trailer, but with all the benefits of a square body design.
The new aluminum subframe and suspension hanger bring the tare weight of a typical East Genesis frameless trailer (39-ft. long, 52-inch sidewalls) down to 9,500 lbs. However, unlike round-bottom designs, a lightweight East frameless trailer has more cubic capacity and a lower center of gravity. Repair is easier and liners are unnecessary.
The AirgoConstant Tire Inflation System features stationary hub components and a venting process that does not jeopardize vital wheel-end components.
The system transfers air to damaged or compromised tires. A case-hardened steel and carbon graphite rotary seal is installed outside the hub and vents externally.
The system is compatible with all hubcap configurations (oil and grease) and axle specifications (pressurized and non-pressurized) so it can be quickly serviced.
All hubcap components are sealed and the electrical switch is also sealed, eliminating spiking and sparks.
Airgo is a stationary system with no moving components in the hub area, eliminating wear.
