# Air Ride - will it distribute axle weight differently?



## timotei (May 4, 2007)

I've never been any good at Physics, in fact it was the only thing I couldn't get an O Level in when at school. I'm thinking that the answer to my question is linked to simple physics, fulcrums, levers etc, so my mind has gone to jelly!

If I fit air ride suspension to my Autotrail Apache 700SE, and run it towards the top end of pressure, would the resulting rise in the rear end result in a shift of weight distribution from rear axle to front?

As I mentioned in my post about upraating the vehicles max weight (http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftopict-70962-.html), when we weighed in before heading to France, our front / rear axle loads were 1740 / 2340. I'm looking to load the vehicle differently to help shift weight forwards, and oviously with the distribution of water / fuel tanks, bicycles etc the main weight will always be further back, but would the change in angle provided by air ride help in this?

Thanks.

Timotei


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## time-traveller (Apr 23, 2007)

*Re: Air Ride - will it d[U]istriute axle weight differently?*



timotei said:


> I've never been any good at Physics, in fact it was the only thing I couldn't get an O Level in when at school. I'm thinking that the answer to my question is linked to simple physics, fulcrums, levers etc, so my mind has gone to jelly!
> 
> If I fit air ride suspension to my Autotrail Apache 700SE, and run it towards the top end of pressure, would the resulting rise in the rear end result in a shift of weight distribution from rear axle to front?
> 
> ...


Theoretically - yes but only minutely
In Practise - no


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

Assuming you travel with your water tank full (_you wouldn't have mentioned it otherwise I guess_) if you could move that forward only a few inches it would have a significant effect, especially if it is already some distance in front of the rear axle. The further away it is the greater the transference of load to the front axle per unit of movement. :wink:

Crawl under and have a look - if there's room it shouldn't be a difficult job, assuming there is no access to the tank from inside the Hab area.

It would only cost you a dirty shirt and a couple of skinned knuckles too! :roll: :lol: :lol:

Hope this helps.

Dave


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## Autoquest (May 16, 2007)

All airride does is stop the increased chassis load on the newly uprated back axle bashing with some force into the now removed bump stop :? 

The best way to free up rear axle loading is to lose the bike rack and get everything else up front


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