ArvinMeritor’s Commercial Vehicle Systems Ride Control Div.’s new Gabriel electronic stability control system and load-sensitive pneumatic adjustable shocks are available now for North American OEM program development.
“Our Electronic Stability Control System is designed to improve vehicle handling during all types of driving conditions,” says Barry Eckel, director of worldwide marketing, Commercial Vehicle Systems Ride Control. “Reduced operating costs may also be realized, particularly in the area of tire wear and vibration damage.”
The system reduces road noise and vehicle vibration by minimizing the amount of road energy transferred to the chassis of the vehicle. It monitors vehicle dynamic inputs, such as steering and braking, and modulates shock valving to maintain vehicle stability. It enhances driver control and comfort by adjusting damping in hard braking and avoidance maneuvers, while providing improved vehicle anti-roll characteristics and increased steering control, says ArvinMeritor.
Also, the company’s Load Sensitive Pneumatic Shocks “are an ideal approach for commercial vehicles that experience a large variation in load weight,” adds Eckel. “Shock damping can be adjusted to accommodate a significant shift in weight with an adjustment to air spring pressure.”
The adjustable shock allows the air spring pneumatic pressure to automatically optimize damping under varying load conditions. In addition to providing improved vehicle handling and driver comfort, it isolates road inputs from the vehicle’s chassis and reduces the possibility of vibration damage, according to the company.