Dry van - Air ride or Spring ?

I used to haul for a food service company and all the trailers were spring with city driving I would have to pick up stuff that was always bouncing around or broken.

 

Get an air ride not more than 10 years old....

 

Trailer utilization is probably one of the biggest factors to consider when deciding whether to go with spring ride or air ride.

The big boys buy spring more because the trailers can sit for weeks/months at a time and spring is $700-$1,000 cheaper per trailer.

If you plan to use the trailer daily though, you can’t beat the air ride suspensions for freight protection and driver comfort. The Schneider document references ride quality for spring suspensions being similar, but that’s only true when the trailer is fully loaded. Anything less than a fully loaded trailer and you end up with a stiffer ride and more vibration transmitted from the road to the load on a spring suspension...not to mention the additional abuse the trailer hinges, lights, rivets, etc. sees. On an air suspension, Height control valves adjust the spring rate of the suspension so vibrations and road inputs are exponentially reduced.

Resale of the trailer you buy should play a part in your decision as well. Although you’ll pay $700 - $1,000 more for an air ride trailer suspension, you’ll see $1,000 - $1,800 more for an air ride equipped trailer at trade in. Ask your trailer dealer.

 

It's airride all the way or nothing.

The one exception is dump trucks. You cannot exactly push these just so with a dozer.

The many little vials they keep IV Liquid medicine in are pretty easy to smash or step on etc. IF it was on a spring ride box going into Detroit on that broken pavement it's mot going to make it. Usually it's a reefer heating the stuff at 60 in the winter and cooling to 65 in summer anyway.

 

You forgot tirewear.
Springride is harder on tires.