Air-tow Advantages - Air-tow Trailers

ADVANTAGES OF AN AIR-TOW

AXLE TYPES

AIR-TOW SWING-ARM AXLE

Smoothest ride available
Minimal tire wear
Laser aligned with dynamically balanced tires

Air-tow’s exclusive, proprietary swing-arm axles offer the absolute smoothest ride available. The long pivot arm is mounted with large tapered roller bearings giving the greatest torsional effect possible, absorbing both horizontal and vertical stresses. No plastic guides or spring bushings to wear out! The axle has both “camber” and “tow-in” adjustment for perfect alignment ensuring the least tire wear of any trailer. Axles will accommodate both rubber and air suspension. Mounted on trailers, they come laser aligned with dynamically balanced tires. These axles are constructed with an automatic robotic welding system for precision and consistency.

TORSION SLIDE AXLE

Mounted with plastic wear pads
Tire wear & possible axle damage
Axle chatter & wheel misalignment

The word “torsion” is a misrepresentation of this slide axle, because it has no rotational movement whatsoever. It is better described as a guillotine axle, because it only allows vertical movement. Problems are created when a wheel hits a bump or a curb. The horizontal force must be immediately changed to a vertical force for upward movement. This sudden change of direction causes tremendous stress capable of bending axle spindles or possibly cracking frames. Wheel bearing life may be shortened and tire wear or blow-outs can be a side effect. This guillotine vertical slide is held in place with plastic wear pads. These plastic pads are subject to wear because of the harsh conditions they must withstand. As they wear, axle chatter and wheel misalignment can develop causing premature tire wear and failure.

QUADRA-SPRING AXLE

Outdated trailer axle system
Can’t handle heavy loads on curves
Short tire life

This axle arrangement consists of an upper and lower conventional leaf spring. One end of the spring has a moving spring shackle which allows for true rotational movement, absorbing horizontal and vertical stresses. The wheel is mounted between the upper and lower leaf springs. While leaf springs are designed to carry weight, they are not intended to be side loaded. Because the axle is mounted on the side of the two springs the heavier the load the more the wheel position gets distorted. This allows for constant change of “camber” that will cause quick and major tire wear. There is no way to adjust “tow-in” or “camber” so short tire life is expected.

DECK TYPES

AIR-TOW DECK

75″ Deck Width – Can fit equipment with large attachments i.e backhoe, skid steer
3/16″ Thick Steel Diamond Plate – thicker steel for less damage and warping

OTHERS

72″ wide – Too narrow for large equipment i.e. skid steers or side by side pallets
1/8″ Thick Steel Diamond Plate – Thin metal quickly damaged and warped