Possible to build leaf springs on a semi?

Even the air ride setup Navistar uses looks like a knock-off of Freightliner Airliner.

 

Freightliner is the best.

 

For the highway, you definitely can't beat Airliner. Its so simple and hardly ever have things go wrong. Plus you can rebushing the whole suspension in a matter of a few hours.

Off road, Neway or Hendrickson Primaax all the way.

 

I think Airliner is over-rated. Best thing about it is relatively cheap. Reason I don't like is U-bolts not only clamp spring to axle, but also supports the weight of the truck. See lots of stretched U-bolts because of this, same on Pete Flex Air or KW AG380 and the International IROS. I like Pete New low air leaf or KW AG400L because spring is above axle so U-bolts is for clamping only.

 

International IROS and Low Air Leaf/AG 400L are both built by Hendrickson.

 

I understand simple is normally better how ever some things I cannot explain. Why do Freightliner air ride trucks get stuck in parking lot holes that the 8 bag deal does not? Why do some air ride trucks get stuck on farm roads in sugar sand and the old KW will drive around them on worse ground? The others do just as well on the highway and yes less bags to maintain.

 

Ive got ag100 and any time i have had an issue, it was an old bag i knew i shoulda replaced, its just a 3-4 year maintenance item the way i see it

 

We up graded that AG100 to something else. Frame brackets in the center and such. It has been dependable and is an 89 model.

 

Friend of mine has my uncles old ‘72 358. Painted identical to my ‘67. This truck has the original stabile-aire. People all the time think its a Freightliner cut-off added to it. Nope.
It’s a cool old girl. All aluminum tilt needle nose and Last year for the old Unilite cab. It was built in ‘72 but sat in limbo at dealership for a year while Pete was doing the new 1100 cab changeover so this truck was actually sold and titled as a ‘73 which makes it even more interesting.
I’m not exactly sure when the staible-air was sold off to FL but my ‘73 352 has original Air Leaf and my Uncle bought three new ‘74 359’s all with Air Trac. One of those became a cut-off for my ‘67 back in 1992 when he wanted to 20” to wb after length laws were lifted.