Ping Tanks Ridewell suspension systems

[davidmbrady]

Folks,

I been speaking with Ridewell trying to sort out coach suspension and ride quality. You may know that Blue Bird Wanderlodges use the same Ridewell suspension systems that Newell has used for many years. I learned that one of the reasons Prevosts ride well is because they use ping tanks. A ping tank is an air pressure tank that's placed between the height control valve and the air spring. The connection from the ping tank to the air spring is short in length and large in inside diameter, something like 3/4". What this does is it creates and 'effective' air spring air volume that's larger than the air spring by itself. Air can quickly pass between the air spring and the ping tank such that they behave as a system. The result is that the effective spring constant and resonant frequency is reduced, sometimes halved resulting in a more compliant and insulated ride quality. My BB doesn't use ping tanks. Do you guys know if Newell uses ping tanks on their coaches?

Thanks,
David
'02 Blue Bird Wanderlodge, LXi