Options for ECAS
The best thing about ECAS? That is the flexibility it gives to the driver. We've talked before about what ECAS is and how ECAS works. But now let's take a look at the most common automatic suspension options. What are they and what do they do?
Lifting axles
Whether lifting axles actually lift off the ground depends on whether lifting bellows are installed. These lifting bellows spare your tyres while driving around empty. If there are no bellows, the lifting axles will not come off the ground, but don't worry! The air suspension functions still do their job by manipulating the air pressure in the bellows at each axle.
The lift axles have some automatic functions:
- Traction help releases all or part of the pressure in the first axle’s bellows and transfers some of the weight to the kingpin. This helps the tractor pulling axle to get traction on uneven or loose ground. Activating traction help is simple: release the parking brake, do not touch anything for 2 seconds and, within 10 seconds, push your brakes three times while standing still.
- Optiturn automatically releases all or part of the pressure on the last axle when cornering and shifts the turning point of the trailer forward. This reduces the theoretical wheelbase of your combination, making turns much easier and also saving your tyres of the rear axle.
Both functions are fully automatic and carefully designed to increase the comfort, safety and efficiency of the trailer.
There are even more options:
- Automatic lowering of the air suspension
- Trailing axles or self-steering axles
- Automatic lifting axles at the front and rear
- Opti-load
- …
Contact your local STAS dealer to learn more about the ECAS options.