Spring ride vs Air ride reefer

Brazil, In

 

Ya brazil Indiana . We hauled everything on springs for ever before they came up with air ride.

 

Springs are being replaced for a reason. They are inferior in most cases. Air ride has made them nearly extinct. There are exceptions to all things but overall air is the suspension of choice.

 

Spring ride cost more to repair if one goes bad, air ride is a easy fix and a do it yourself.

 

To the OP
What would you use that reefer for if you buy it?

 

When I order equipment it is on air.
I prefer air but steel really is no big deal.
Its not like it gives problems or is unreliable in any way.
Its works just fine.
Its a fit and forget type of part that requires minimum maintenance.
Absolutely nothing to be scared of with steel suspension.
When it eventually needs replacing the parts are heavy but it is not that bigger deal as you will only need this every million miles or so depending on type of work.
If the steel suspension is still in good shape you should have years of trouble free service out of it.

 

If you are just talking performance then it really doesn't make a big difference.

But in terms of marketability, more and more customers are requiring air ride. I am sure most of it has to do with ignorance based on what was being sold to them. If I was selling against a carrier that used spring ride I could make a case that we are better because all of our trailers are air ride. And then that leads to the customer putting that requirement for air ride going forward.

Kind of like 48' vs. 53'. How many times do you have a 53' requirement and the load takes 40' of space?

I know a private fleet that figured out that it didn't matter to them and he saves a bundle buying used spring rides. Because he returns MT he has noticed that he doesn't get the tire life from the spring ride but when he does the math he is still saving over a 5-year life of a trailer.

So if you are not concerned about marketability then you can save some money buying a used spring ride.

But if you are running spot market you will likely wish you had an air ride. And saying that I know I person with spring ride that tells people he has air ride and maybe gets turned away a couple times a year.

 

Not an expert but do know sensitive loads are sometimes monitored with a Shock sensor or impact indicators, a spring ride may set them off and if it does then you may be liable for the load. You will never know if it is on board, just saying.

 

All i know is that Schneider still uses ONLY spring ride trailers, and their stuff holds up for quite a few years. most other companies get rid of their trailers after 5 years or so, but SNI hangs onto theirs for over 10+..... I pulled them for many years, including their Great dane refer trailers and they were spring ride also. I had no problems with them.

 

I operate in South Africa and transport mainly in to mining areas up north.
Our roads on this route till we cross the border are about comparable to those in the US.
After that there are some rough sections.
When I say rough I mean really rough with the last 150 miles of dirt road having holes you can hide a 4 wheeler in.
I guess 95% of trailers are on steel suspension because for some illogical reason people believe air does not do well on bad roads.
We are one of only 2 companies that operate almost exclusively on air suspension to this mining district.
That is about 90 trucks/trailers on air vs 3000 on steel.
We get nearly all the electrical and electronic equipment at a premium rate because they need a smoother ride.
On good roads impact recorders and those shock watch monitors should not trigger alarm even on steel suspension.
I however find that once a client has been sold the idea that their product needs air suspension they don't go back.
I know that 99% of products don't need air suspension but it pleases me that in our market air suspension is scarce and I can charge a premium because we have it.
I tell them "We move on air because we care".
To the OP don't believe it that trailer sounds a good deal.