Load span tag axle system
Systems and apparatuses include a chassis mount configured to couple to a vehicle chassis, an axle assembly including wheels, a four-bar linkage coupling the axle assembly to the chassis mount, and a hydraulic cylinder coupled between the chassis mount and the axle assembly. The hydraulic cylinder actuates the axle assembly between a raised position and a lowered position and acts as a spring damper suspension component.
1. A tag axle system comprising:
a chassis mount configured to couple to a vehicle chassis;
an axle assembly including wheels;
a four-bar linkage coupling the axle assembly to the chassis mount; and
a hydraulic cylinder coupled between the chassis mount and the axle assembly, the hydraulic cylinder actuating the axle assembly between a raised position and a lowered position,
wherein the hydraulic cylinder acts as a spring damper suspension component.
2. The tag axle system of claim 1 , wherein the axle assembly includes a steering system, and wherein the steering system includes a connecting rod coupled between a right wheel assembly and a left wheel assembly.
3. The tag axle system of claim 2 , wherein the connecting rod is positioned in front of an axle frame.
4. The tag axle system of claim 1 , wherein the axle assembly includes a steering system including a centering system that includes a spring damper.
5. The tag axle system of claim 1 , wherein the axle assembly includes a kingpin arranged at a kingpin caster angle, and
wherein the kingpin caster angle is maintained in all loading conditions when the axle assembly is in the lowered position.
6. The tag axle system of claim 1 , wherein the four-bar linkage includes a right upper link, a right lower link, a left upper link, and a left lower link,
wherein the right upper link and the left upper link are arranged at an upper link angle relative to a central axis of the vehicle chassis, and the right lower link and the left lower link are arranged at a lower link angle relative to the central axis,
wherein the upper link angle is between about five degrees and about fifteen degrees, and
wherein the lower link angle is between about five degrees and about fifteen degrees.
7. The tag axle system of claim 6 , wherein the upper link angle and the lower link angle are substantially the same.
8. The tag axle system of claim 6 , wherein the upper link angle and the lower link angle are mirrored.
9. The tag axle system of claim 6 , wherein there is about one-hundred-sixty-two degrees between the upper link angle and the lower link angle.
10. The tag axle system of claim 1 , wherein the four-bar linkage is a parallelogram arrangement.
11. The tag axle system of claim 1 , wherein the hydraulic cylinder is a first hydraulic cylinder, and the tag axle system further comprising a second hydraulic cylinder.
12. The tag axle system of claim 1 , wherein the hydraulic cylinder is a dual acting hydraulic cylinder defining a first chamber and a second chamber, and
the tag axle system further comprising a hydraulic system that includes an accumulator including a piston separating a spring chamber pressurized with gas and a collecting chamber in communication with the first chamber of the hydraulic cylinder.
13. The tag axle system of claim 12 , wherein the hydraulic system further includes a control valve moveable between a first position actuating the hydraulic cylinder to move the axle assembly to the raised position, and a second position actuating the hydraulic cylinder to move the axle assembly to the lowered position.
14. The tag axle system of claim 1 , the axle assembly further comprising an axle beam, the axle beam further including:
a plurality of plates welded together,
a plurality of axle brackets, and
a plurality of fasteners,
wherein each one of the plurality of axle brackets is coupled to one of the plurality of plates using at least one of the plurality of fasteners.
15. The tag axle system of claim 14 , wherein each one of the plurality of plates includes no more than two bends.
16. The tag axle system of claim 1 , wherein the four-bar linkage includes a right upper link, a right lower link, a left upper link, and a left lower link,
wherein each of the right upper link, the right lower link, the left upper link, and the left lower link define a link bend between a midpoint of the respective link and the axle assembly.
17. A tag axle system comprising:
a chassis mount configured to couple to a vehicle chassis;
an axle assembly including an axle beam that includes a plurality of plates welded together, each plate defining no more than two bends, and a plurality of axle brackets fastened to the axle beam; and
a four-bar linkage coupling the axle assembly to the chassis mount and including a right upper link, a right lower link, a left upper link, and a left lower link;
a hydraulic cylinder coupled between the chassis mount and the axle beam, the hydraulic cylinder actuating the axle beam between a raised position and a lowered position,
wherein each of the right upper link, the right lower link, the left upper link, and the left lower link define a link bend between a midpoint of the respective link and the axle beam, and
wherein the hydraulic cylinder acts as a spring damper suspension component.
18. The tag axle system of claim 17 , wherein the axle assembly includes a kingpin arranged at a kingpin caster angle, and
wherein the kingpin caster angle is maintained in all loading conditions when the axle assembly is in a lowered position.
19. A tag axle system comprising:
a chassis mount configured to couple to a vehicle chassis;
an axle beam including a plurality of plates welded together, each plate defining no more than two bends;
a plurality of axle brackets fastened to the axle beam;
a four-bar linkage coupling the axle beam to the chassis mount and including a right upper link, a right lower link, a left upper link, and a left lower link, wherein each of the right upper link, the right lower link, the left upper link, and the left lower link define a link bend between a midpoint of the respective link and the axle beam;
a hydraulic cylinder coupled between the chassis mount and the axle beam, the hydraulic cylinder actuating the axle beam between a raised position and a lowered position,
wherein the hydraulic cylinder acts as a spring damper suspension component.
20. A tag axle system comprising:
a chassis mount configured to couple to a vehicle chassis;
an axle assembly including
an axle beam that includes a plurality of plates welded together, each plate defining no more than two bends,
a kingpin arranged at a kingpin caster angle that is maintained in all loading conditions when the axle assembly is in a lowered position, and
a plurality of axle brackets fastened to the axle beam; and
a four-bar linkage coupling the axle assembly to the chassis mount and including a right upper link, a right lower link, a left upper link, and a left lower link.
21. The tag axle system of claim 20 , further comprising a hydraulic cylinder coupled between the chassis mount and the axle beam, the hydraulic cylinder actuating the axle beam between a raised position and a lowered position,
wherein the hydraulic cylinder acts as a spring damper suspension component.