Firestone air spring looks to lighten the load in China

Beijing – Firestone Industrial Products Co. has debuted its new lightweight air spring in Wuhan, China, at the recent China Commercial Vehicles Show. 

The Bridgestone company said the new air spring, which features a full reservoir metal piston, is expected to reduce weight by 20% compared to prior air springs made using conventional technology.

As such, FSIP said the new air spring will offer a smoother ride and increased safety for drivers in harsh road conditions. The firm developed the new product in conjunction with a leading truck original equipment manufacturer.

"The Chinese commercial vehicle market continues to grow and face new challenges, including daily operations in various road conditions with already overloaded trucks and trailers, making air suspension one of (the) top priorities," said Susan Xu, general manager for FSIP in the Asia-Pacific region.

FSIP said the Chinese market will remain a major focus for the company, as OEMs in China are being mandated to adopt the use of air suspensions in commercial vehicles of a certain weight or hazardous load.