A multi-purpose shock absorber for a vehicle suspension having an absorber body with an outer surface, and a movable piston having a first end disposed within the absorber body and a second end configured to couple with a part of the vehicle. There is a magnet assembly disposed around and external of the movable piston at the second end. The absorber has a sensor assembly having a sensor body coupled with the outer surface. An inner sensor body has a sensor disposed therein configured to detect a linear change in a position of the magnet assembly.

A method for determining road loads includes preparing a road map (15) that contains information about the local configuration of a plurality of roads. For each of a plurality of vehicles (1) a vehicle location is determined and at least one vehicle location signal (So) that characterizes the location of the vehicle concerned is generated. Using the vehicle location signal (So) and the road map, the vehicles (1) are assigned to the roads. For each vehicle (1) a vehicle load mass is determined and at least one vehicle load mass signal (Sm) that characterizes the vehicle load mass is generated. At least one road loading signal (Sb) that characterizes a road load is generated for each road using the vehicle load mass signals (Sm) of the vehicles (1) assigned to it.

A multi-mode air shock is disclosed herein. The air shock includes an air spring having a primary air chamber, and a damper having an insertion end to telescope within the primary air chamber and a coupler to couple with a portion of a vehicle. An adjuster housing is fixedly coupled to an end of the air spring opposite of the damper, the adjuster housing having a secondary air chamber in communication with the primary air chamber and a mounting structure to couple with a different portion of the vehicle. There is a bulkhead with a valve to open or close the fluid communication between the primary air chamber and the secondary air chamber. The air shock also includes a tertiary air chamber in fluid communication with the secondary air chamber but not in fluid communication with the primary air chamber except via the secondary air chamber.

An agricultural vehicle suspension may comprise a spring and a first spindle operably coupled with the spring in a spindle axial direction. A stop body may be operably coupled to the first spindle in a cylinder axial direction. The stop body may be configured to limit an axial length of travel of the suspension relative to the first spindle. The first spindle may be a steering spindle or a suspension spindle.

Systems and methods for load monitoring and/or braking control. The load monitoring may include calculating a weight on one or more axles of a vehicle or a trailer using cross-flow pressure information indicative of an air pressure within a cross-flow passage between first and second leveling valves of first and second pneumatic circuits configured to adjust independently heights on first and second sides, respectively, of the vehicle or the trailer. The braking control may include (i) using the cross-flow pressure and speed and/or acceleration information indicative of a speed and/or acceleration of the vehicle and/or the trailer to calculate first and second brake application levels and (ii) applying the calculated first and second brake application levels to first and second brakes on the first and second sides, respectively, of the vehicle or the trailer.

The present disclosure relates to a rear suspension system for a rear wheel of a vehicle and to a vehicle having such a rear suspension system.

Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed to perform a tank turn. An example apparatus includes programmable circuitry to determine that a first brake associated with a first wheel is engaged and a second brake associated with a second wheel is engaged, the first wheel located on an end of a first axle of a vehicle, the second wheel located on an end of a second axle of the vehicle, the end of the first axle opposite to the end of the second axle, cause a first suspension to decrease a first suspension load of the first wheel, cause a second suspension to decrease a second suspension load of the second wheel, cause a first motor to drive the first axle in a first direction, and cause a second motor to drive the second axle in a second direction, the second direction different from the first direction.

A suspension system can include an air spring, an air reservoir external to the air spring, and a flow control device which variably restricts flow of air between the air spring and the air reservoir. Flow between the air spring and the air reservoir may be permitted in response to compliance of the suspension system, and the air spring can have an internal air volume at least 2½ times as great may permit flow between the air spring and the air reservoir in response to a predetermined pressure differential level across the flow control device. Multiple air reservoirs can be internal to an axle, or other suspension system or vehicle component, and can be isolated from each other.

A method for controlling an air suspension system of a vehicle includes: a) determining a bellows pressure-time characteristic curve for air admission to and release from the bellows of one air spring or the bellows of a plurality of air springs, the characteristic curve being normalized with the value of a supply pressure in a reservoir for compressed air, b) sensor measurement of a current pressure in the spring bellows of the air springs as well as the current supply pressure immediately before air admission thereto or air release therefrom, c) determining, from the normalized characteristic curve, the opening duration for the associated shutoff valve using the ratio of the measured bellows pressure to the measured supply pressure and the ratio of the provided target pressure to the measured supply pressure, d) opening the associated shutoff valve for the determined opening duration in order to set the provided target pressure.

A dynamic weight shift suspension system for shifting the tandem axle loads on a vehicle. The system includes a first airbag connected between the drive axle of a tandem and the vehicle frame, and a second airbag connected between a tag axle of a tandem and the vehicle frame. The system also has a mechatronic control unit comprising at least one port and at least one solenoid. The mechatronic control unit is in direct fluid communication with the airbags and an air supply via fluid communication lines.