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Class 8 truck suspensions serve multiple functions. It is important to understand the trade-offs inherent with all of the available choices since these suspensions directly influence the overall productivity, comfort and cost of ownership of the truck.

"It is the intermediary between the ground and the truck chassis," says Gerry Remus, vocational market segment manager, Hendrickson Truck Suspension Systems. "It helps control the axle in order to give you good ride quality, stability and off-road mobility."

Traction and roll stiffness vary between the different offerings. "The truck suspension plays an essential role in vehicle support, stability and mobility," says Al Zwicky, senior applications engineer, Peterbilt. "It is also an important consideration in determining vehicle weight and payload capacity."

In addition, the suspension isolates the shock loads. "It protects the driver, the body and the payload from damage going over different types of road surfaces," says Steve Ginter, vocational product manager, Mack Trucks.

Each type of suspension offers particular strengths and weaknesses. "Since each type of suspension provides a mix of different operating characteristics, it should be carefully matched to a customer's application and business requirements," Zwicky advises.