Continental has introduced a new range of air springs, which it claims can easily withstand temperatures between -40 and +100 degrees Celsius.

The project is being implemented in close collaboration with a market-leading shock absorber manufacturer and will see a well-known Swedish commercial vehicle manufacturer equip as standard all of its truck drivers’ cabs with sleeve air springs. Continental claims the HiTemp solution performs reliably even under extreme temperatures

According to Continental, truck drivers often cover vast distances, with the vehicles frequently experiencing a wide range of different regions and climate zones over their service life. It says that the new system will keep the driver’s cab safe and comfortable in the summer heat.

“The air springs meet the increasing demands on truck components: the stricter exhaust-gas standards heat up the engine compartment to a much greater extent, ensuring extremely hot operating conditions,” explained Continental. “The advantage of the sleeve air springs is that they allow for easier heat management and offer the manufacturer greater flexibility when defining the installation space of the cab mount.

“There is no need for a heat shield to protect the air springs against intense heat radiation. This makes the spring function significantly cheaper than previous solutions – reduced idle time and lower repair costs are further advantages. The development of this technology marks an important milestone on the way to establishing the HiTemp sleeve air spring as the standard in the commercial vehicle industry.”