Load Sharing Independant Suspension

Load Sharing Independant Suspension

Why Do You Need Load Sharing Independent Suspension

 

Whether you are simply moving things, or you are towing a caravan for an outing into the Bush, making sure you have the right suspension system is key. Without a good suspension system, your caravan will become damaged. It may possibly break down, which is not something you want to happen when you are out in the wilderness. If it breaks down in the wrong place, it could hurt someone else, which would not be good for anyone involved. Having a caravan break down also means you have the hassle of having to get someone to go retrieve it, which is expensive. So it is best to have a good caravan suspension. One of the best, especially if you intend to go on rugged terrain, is an independent load sharing suspension.

 

For the purposes of this article let's focus on just three types of suspension. These are, independent, load sharing and independent load sharing suspension. As you can guess, independent load sharing suspensions combine features of the first two. There are many different variations of the first two but very few of the last one. In order to understand how independent load sharing systems work when put together, it is important to understand the functions of the two systems individually. For simplicity's sake, this article will stick to the general overview without getting into the numerous sub-types of the different suspensions.

Independent suspensions are the most numerous varieties. In an independent suspension system, each wheel can move independently of the others. This means that if one wheel hits a bump, only that wheel is affected. In a suspension system without this feature, every wheel is affected by every bump. In the event you take your caravan off road, such as out into the Bush for example, you will be encountering numerous bumps and uneven terrain of all kinds. If you do not have independent suspension, your RV will not only be more likely to get stuck, it will fall victim to a phenomenon called harmonic motion. Harmonic motion is bad. In layman's terms, it causes the whole vehicle to take the full shock of each bump. Eventually, this wear and tear will cause your caravan to break down. This is not something you want to happen in the Bush where help can be hard to find. By making it so only individual wheels are affected when the caravan goes over rough terrain, rather than the whole vehicle, the independent suspension system cancels out harmonic motion. Furthermore, an independent suspension system lifts the bottom of the caravan up. This means that it will be less likely to be caught on things on the ground that may damage your vehicle or stop it in its tracks.

 

Load sharing suspensions do what they imply: They share the load. Non-load sharing suspensions can unevenly distribute the weight of whatever is in your vehicle (or whatever it is towing as the case may be) whenever the position of the wheels change. This not a problem if you are going somewhere with flattop but if you are going off the road, especially in a place like the Bush, it will be trouble. If one part of the vehicle is consistently carrying a larger portion of weight than the others, there will be considerable wear and tear on your chassis. Since this can be an especially expensive part to be replaced, this would not be a good decision to be taken. Load sharing suspensions prevent this. The suspension distributes the load from front wheels and back wheels as needed. Regardless of what positions the wheels are in, the weight is always evenly shared to avoid wear and tear on your caravan. It will also help keep your wheels on the ground. This will keep you from tipping over, which is a hazard when driving off road.

 

When you combine the two, you get the best of both worlds. Your vehicle will be able to handle ruts and bumps without generating any harmonic motion. You will be able to protect your chassis from unnecessary wear and tear. You will prolong the life of your caravan and help avoid expensive and possibly unsafe breakdowns. However, the system can be a little expensive. However, a lot of people have had success with independent load sharing suspension. The Australian military is one of the major users of these systems because they are so versatile and can stand up to the toughest conditions that the world has to offer.

 

If you go off road a lot, independent load sharing suspension systems might be your best bet. When you go off road, you will have to deal with a lot of hazards and rocky terrain. Caravans will normal suspension systems designed for smooth roads and well-traveled tourist areas will falter if they go out into places with rough terrain like the Bush. Getting an independent load sharing suspension system will protect your vehicle and you.

 

An independent load sharing suspension system is also good in case you are going to go off the grid. An independent load sharing suspension system is of the highest quality. While normal suspension systems will break down after extended periods of time going off road, an independent load sharing suspension system will last a long time. This means that you will not have to worry about having breakdowns or getting stuck in ruts. Independent load sharing suspension systems are ideal for going off the grid since they can help carry large loads more reliably without getting stuck. They also handle themselves really well in tough conditions, even when towing the heavy loads of supplies that you need if you are going off the grid.

 

Independent load sharing suspension systems are very handy. If you are the type who goes off the beaten path a lot, this system may be for you. You can spend more time and money on enjoying the outdoor wonders Australia has to offer, rather than digging your caravan out of ruts or repairing broken vehicle parts. It will not only keep your vehicle in working order, it will keep you out of danger.


DISCLAIMER* Please note, this advice is general in nature and we strongly recommend consulting the product manual and where relevant, a professional installer.


Comments (1)

Simplicity LSC

Just changed our van suspension to the Simplicity Load Sharing Coil, the benefits have been notable after the change. We went to Melbourne to have the work done and had to tow our 2.8ton leaf sprung semi off road van. The road condition once you leave SA to Melbourne at this time is average part of the way and more like a sealed off road track the a large amount. The undulations and large pot holes and depressions made the trip over very tiring. In contrast the return trip was significantly less arduous. I am looking forward to returning to the Flinders and Arkaroola next year and expect it to be a more pleasant trip, when towing. We spent $4800 for the suspension and $3800 for installation and $350 for a new off road hitch. well worth it.
By: David D on


www.caravanrvcamping.com.au Response
Thanks for sharing David!

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