Link Mfg. Ltd., provider of specialty-engineered suspensions, suspension controls and air management products, unveiled the 8K, 10K, 13.5K and 20K ROI Auxiliary Suspensions Systems, which are currently in field testing. Link developed its new, smart load-balancing suspensions using its proprietary Road Optimized Innovation (ROI) technology. First introduced in the company’s ROI Cabmate Cab Suspension in 2019, the ROI Auxiliary Suspension System will sense and maintain optimal tire-to-ground pressure, reducing tire wear and maximizing fuel mileage, the manufacturer noted.

“If an auxiliary suspension system is engaged when not needed, it can cause the tires to drag, or ‘scrub,’ negatively affecting tire wear, gas mileage and maintenance intervals,” said Mike Leakey, vice president of sales and marketing for Link Mfg. “Conversely, if auxiliary axles are not deployed when needed, the vehicle may not comply with local bridge laws, and the vehicle and its occupants may even be exposed to dangerous mechanical forces.”

With Link’s intelligent load-balancing auxiliary suspension system, the guesswork of when to lift or lower is removed so even inexperienced drivers can maintain maximum traction without overloading the axles.

“Link’s ROI technology is able to sense when the vehicle’s load has changed and automatically deploys or retracts the auxiliary suspension system as needed,” Eli DeGroff, product manager, Road Optimized Innovations for Link Mfg. said in a statement. “Unlike traditional all-on or all-off auxiliary axles, Link’s smart suspensions are able to determine the load they need to bear and automatically adjust to precisely accommodate that weight.”