Air suspension specialist, Arnott is encouraging garage owners to offer customers a vehicle health check ahead of the Summer getaway season.
An Arnott spokesperson said: “The summer holiday season is about to start and with decreasing Covid-19 restrictions many people are starting to plan their holiday by car.
“This usually means the vehicle will be used differently than in everyday life: it might be overpacked, hauling, driven more kilometers etc.
“All these additional conditions cause extra strain on the car’s engine, brakes, driveline, and suspension.”
The firm suggests that recent lack of vehicle use may cause come issue to air suspension systems in particular.
The spokesperson added: “Most people travelling to their holiday destination carry bigger loads in their vehicles and usually drive longer distances.
“These factors challenge the suspension system’s road handling and ride comfort, making the flawless functioning of the system even more important.
“Vehicles equipped with air suspension conveniently level the car under all circumstances, including with heavy loads and towing.”
Air suspension systems use a compressor to inflate the air springs.
Height sensors give the ECU (Electronic Control Unit) a signal when the vehicle is not at a predetermined height.
The compressor then pumps air into the air springs until the proper height is reached.
The system does this after loading while still stationary, but also continuously while driving, cornering, during road inputs, etc.
Air springs are wear and tear parts, eventually the rubber will dry out and small cracks start to occur at the vulnerable areas.
On average, an air suspension part will need to be replaced in six to ten years.
The spokesperson added: “If the car is parked overnight and the next morning one corner is sitting lower than normal, the system has a leak. Despite this, a small existing leak may go unnoticed by the driver.
“A simple leak detection method using a water and soap solution prevents that your customer gets stranded with a non-detected air leak.
“Remember that even with a small leak a compressor is still able to maintain adequate pressure.
“But, as the leak gets bigger over time, the compressor will overheat (or burn-out) in its attempt to reach the required pressure and ride height.
“This causes irreversible damage to the compressor.
“The extra load of the holiday luggage and/or winding roads in the mountains will create even more stress, making it absolutely crucial to have the whole system checked before starting the journey.”
With more than 30 years of experience in engineering, designing and manufacturing high quality air suspension components for the aftermarket, Arnott is the technical expert when it comes to air suspension systems.
Arnott’s products are produced with high-quality, OE components offering exact form, fit and function.
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