manual soldadura ridwell

7/18/2019 Manual Soldadura Ridwell

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Service Manual

25,000 lb. cap. Weld-On and Bolt-On M ount ings

INTEGRATED TRAILER SUSPENSION

““AA b e t tb e t t e re ra l ta l t e r n a t i ve r n a t i v ee””

for

7/06

®

Ridewell Corporation P.O. Box 4586 Springfield, MO 65808

800-641-4122 (417) 833-4565 Fax (417) 833-4560

www.ridewellcorp.comRidewell Corporation



BASIC OPERATIONWhen properly maintained and operated within design limits, Ridewell’s Ridelite® will provide many years of

trouble-free service. It has several unique features which keep maintenance and downtime to an absolute

minimum:

1. A double-bonded, manual clamp-in pivot bushing

2. A patented, contoured weld-on axle seat that requires no U-bolts

3. A patent pending SPEED SETTM

alignment feature that allows 1” adjustment

at hanger.

4. A self-contained shock absorber that allows precise installation and insures

proper shock and air spring tolerances

Air Springs & Height Control ValveThis air-ride suspension is designed to dampen the shocks transmitted from road surface to trailer frame

through the AIR SPRINGS. The HEIGHT CONTROL VALVE is used to maintain the proper ride height from air

spring to chassis (whether empty or loaded) by controlling the volume of air in the springs. Please check with

your trailer manufacturer for your suspension’s ride height.

You may use either a single or dual (leveling) height control valve system on your trailer. This service manual

addresses the SINGLE VALVE SYSTEM which controls ride height only. If you require a dual or leveling valve

system on your trailer, please contact Ridewell Corporation for further details. A manual or automatic dump

valve may also be incorporated to exhaust air to prevent “dock creep” when loading or unloading.

SUSPENSION IDENTIFICATION: Ridewell Suspensions are identified by a metal tag that indicates part

number, capacity and serial number. Consult your trailer manufacturer for your correct mounting height.

PARTS: For optimum suspension performance, order only Ridewell parts. Replacement parts for the

Ridelite® Suspension are shown on page 11 of this manual.

SALES, SERVICE & WARRANT Y: If you need assistance regarding this product, please contact us and we will

be glad to help you. Mailing Address Shipping Address Phones, Fax, email

Ridewell Corporation Ridewell Corporation 800-641-4122, (417) 833-4565

P.O. Box 4586 3715 E. Farm Rd. 94 (417) 833-4560, fax

Springfield, MO 65808 Springfield, MO 65803 [email protected]

Air Control Installation ........8 - 11 Parts Replacement ..........................12

Axle Alignment .......... .......... .......7 Preventive Maintenance ......... ...........4

Basic Operation......................2 - 3 Torque Requirements..........................4

Operational Inspection....... .........3 Welding Guidelines....... .......... .........5-6

CONTENTS

2



1. Inspect all welds or fasteners at hanger-to-frame connections.

2. Inspect axle to lower beam weld. Axle should be snug in contoured axle seat and welded according to

guidelines on pages 5 & 6.

3. Inspect axle alignment to kingpin. Forward axle should be ±1/8” left to right relative to kingpin. Rear

axle, if equipped, should be in line with forward axle ±1/16” axle center to axle center. Refer to axle

alignment procedure on page 7.

4. Inspect automatic air control valve for proper installation. Valve should be mounted so linkage is free to

operate without interference. Check all linkage connections and air fittings on valve for tightness. Refer

to drawing on page 10.

5. Inspect air springs. With unloaded trailer on level surface and supply air pressure in excess of 65 P.S.I.,

all air springs should be of equal pressure. Check for proper clearance around air spring: minimum 1”.

6. Inspect for proper mounting height obtained from your trailer manufacturer. If measurement is

incorrect, adjust height control valve until proper mounting height is achieved.

7. Check all air connections for leaks and tighten if needed.

8. Inspect air lines. They should be free from sharp objects and secured to prevent premature failure.

9. Verify that pivot bolt and adjuster plate fasteners are at specified torque.

OPERATIONAL

INSPECTION

Air Pressure & Brake Protection Valve

This air-ride suspension is dependent on air pressure from the trailer supply system. Air pressure must be

maintained above 65 P.S.I. before operation. A BRAKE PROTECTION VALVE MUST BE INSTALLED IN THE AIR

SYSTEM TO PREVENT AIR LOSS BELOW 65 P.S.I. AND TO INSURE SAFE AIR BRAKE PRESSURE IN THE

EVENT OF AIR LOSS IN THE SUSPENSION SYSTEM.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The air springs used on the Ridelite Suspension® have internal rubber bumpers

designed to carry the trailer load should air spring failure or sudden loss of air supply occur. Should an air

spring fail on a “single height control valve system,” then all of the air springs will deflate allowing the

suspension to operate on internal bumpers until repairs can be made. Should an air spring fail on a “dual

height control or leveling valve system,” the springs would deflate on one side only. Simply deflate the other

side by removing the vertical linkage rod from the valve and rotate the horizontal lever arm DOWN to fully

exhaust the springs.

TO INSURE SAFE &

R EL IABL E O PERATI ON OF YOU R

VEHICLE,

WE RECOMMEND

THAT ALL NEW TRAILERS

RECEIVE THIS INSPECTION

3



Every 30 Days....Check clearances around all moving suspension parts, air springs, tires and

shock absorbers. Any signs of interference should be immediately corrected.

Visually inspect axle connection weld and bolt connections to make sure they are secure. Review and correct

any signs of wear.

Every 90 Days & with Annual Inspection.... Check items mentionedabove in DAILY & 30 DAY inspections.

Also inspect weld integrity at the following connections: suspension-to-axle, air spring-to-frame and hanger-to-frame.

All pivot and clamping connections such as the suspension pivot and the shock mounting must be inspected.

NOTICE!! RIDEWELL CORPORATION BEARS NO RESPONSIBILIT Y FOR SUSPENSIONS DAMAGED BY

ABUSE OR NEGLECT. IN ADDITION, ANY SUSPENSIONS DRIVEN TO COMPLETE DESTRUCTION WILL NOT BE

COVERED BY WARRANT Y.

Daily.....Visually inspect trailer to be sure it is level and that suspension ride height is correct.

Check for loose or broken parts on or around suspension to prevent any serious problems from occurring.

PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE

TORQUE REQUIREMENTS

Design torque on all suspension fasteners

must be SET AND MAINTAINED BY INSTALLER

This torque label,

included in the carton of parts,

should be adhered to the

chassis above the suspension

4



WELDING GUIDELINES

The following precautions and recommendations must be read and understood by qualif ied personnel prior

to weld installation of Ridewell Air-Ride Trailer Suspensions to trailer axles. Any welding procedures or

materials that do not clearly fall within these guidelines could compromise the integrity and safety of the

installation.

SECTION 1: WELDING METHODS, MATERIALS & PERSONNEL

A) All welders and welding operators should be certified per A.W.S. (American Welding Society) D1.1

Section 5 Procedures or equal.

B) Recommended welding methods are shielded metal arc (stick), gas metal arc (solid wire) or flux cored

arc (tubular wire) welding. Whatever electrode and method used must develop a minimum weld tensile

strength of 70,000 P.S.I. Refer to the electrode manufacturer’s recommendation for voltage, current

and shielding medium for the diameter electrode to be used so the best fusion and mechanical

properties can be obtained.

C) All electrodes used should meet A.W.S. Section 5 Specifications and Classifications for welding carbon

and low alloy steels.

D) If shielded metal arc electrodes (stick) are used, they must be new and unused, dry, free of

contaminants and come from a stock that has been purchased and stored per A.W.S. Section 4.5.2.,

Low Hydrogen Electrode Storage Specifications.

SECTION 2: WELD JOINT PREPARATION

A) ALL GREAS E, D IRT, PA INT, S LAG O R OT HERCONTAMINANTS MUST BE REMOVED FROM THE

WELD JOINT WITHOUT GOUGING THE AXLE TUBE.

B) Insure the lower beam assembly fits the axle with a

weld root gap of 1/8” maximum.

SECTION 3: WELDING PROCEDURE

A) Ground the welder to one of the attached axle parts such as the air chamber brackets, cam brackets,

or the brake spider. NEVER GROUND THE WELDER TO A WHEEL OR HUB AS THE SPINDLE BEARING

MAY SUSTAIN ARC DAMAGE.

B) The axle assembly should be at a minimum temperature of 60° F (15° C) prior to welding. Pre-

heating the weld zone to the axle manufacturer’s pre-heat temperature is recommended. This will

minimize the formation of martensitic or brittle metal structures in the fusion line or the heat affected

zone which may contribute to a premature fatigue failure in service.

5



C) The joint to be welded should be positioned in the flat or horizontal position if possible.

D) Multiple pass welding shall be used on the beam/axle connection using the following guidelines.

Required total weld size is 1/2” (12.7mm).

Multiple pass (recommended method, SMAW, GMAW, FCAW) weld starts and stops shall be performed as

outlined and shown below.

SECTION 4: REPAIR WELDING

If the beam/axle weld is cracked or broken, the weld can only be repaired if the crack or break does not

extend into the axle tube. To repair the weld, grind or back gouge the weld/crack down to the base metal. If

the crack extends into the axle tube, or if any other area of the axle is cracked, the axle must be replaced.

Apply the repair weld according to the information in Sections 1-3 of this guideline.

SECTION 5:WELDING PRECAUTIONS

A) All welds must be kept away from

the top and bottom of the axle

where maximum stresses occur. The

“no weld” zones are illustrated.

B) DO NOT TEST WELD THE ARC ON

ANY PART OF THE AXLE TUBE.

This can cause a material change

which can lead to a small crack

that may eventually grow and

affect the fatigue life of the axle.

NOTE: All slag must be removed between passes. Backstep fill all craters. Each pass must be accomplished

in one or two segments. Never start or stop welds at the end of the weld joint. Start welds at least 1” from endand backweld over your start. Welds must go to the ends of the axle seat and must not go beyond or around

the ends. Recommended electrode is E7018 if SMAW (stick) is used. Recommended electrode is E70T-1 or

E70S-1 if FCAW or GMAW welding is used.

IMPORTANT: It may be necessary to C-clamp axle to axle beam seat prior to welding. This will insure that

complete contact occurs between the axle housing and the beam seat.

6



ALIGNMENT

OF AXLE

The Ridelite® is equipped

with the SPEED SETTM

alignment

feature for simple,manual alignmentof axles. There is 1” of avaiilable

adjustment at the hangers.

For Tandem Axle

YOUR SUSPENSION WILL HAVE THIS LABEL

ABOVE THE PIVOT BOLT

Ridewell’s SPEED SETTM

Alignment Feature

1. Align the forward axle to center of kingpin (see “A” above), then

align rear axle to center of forward axle (see “B” above). The

measurement from left to right side of axle centers should not

exceed 1/16” difference.

2. To align the axle, loosen the pivot bolt and adjuster plate lock

nuts.

3. To move the axle, insert a 1/2” square shank breaker bar into

1/2” square adjuster plate hole and push or pull to align axle.

4. After alignment is achieved, re-torque adjuster plate and pivot

bolt lock nuts to specified torque.

RIDEWELL CORPORATION SPRINGFIELD, MO U.S.A.

6'clockalignment

pointer

NOTICE :

ALIGNMENT POI NTER

MUST BE AT 6 O' CLOCK

POSITION P RIOR TO ALIGN-MENT. AFTER ALIGNMENT,

TORQUE ADJUSTMENT

PLATE NUT T O 55 - 60 FT. L B.

TORQUE PIVOT BOLT NUT T O

450 - 520 FT. L B.

DO NOT OVER -TOR QUE !

SPEED SET ALIGNMENT FEATURETM

7



HEIGHTCONTROL VALVE

The Ridewell Height Control Valve (HCV) is a mechanical devicethat automatically adds to, or exhausts, air from the air

suspension when changes in vehicle load are detected. The

HCV will respond to dynamic changes, but does so by limiting

air consumption for small changes in suspension height.

· The HCV is available in three configurations:

1.Non-dump (Figure 1).

2.Pressure dump (normally closed). Pilot pressure is

required to exhaust the suspension air springs (Figure 2).

3.Zero-pressure dump (normally open). Removing pilot

pressure exhausts the suspension air springs (Figure 2).

· HCV ports use push-to-connect (PTC) fittings for 3/8” tubing.· Dual HCV mounting is allowed. The vehicle OEM should be

consulted if converting from a single to a dual HCV

configuration.

· Various HCV and linkages kits are available. Contact

Ridewell or the OEM for selecting the correct kit.

· The Ridewell HCV is interchangeable with most other

brands of valves.

Prior to Installation

General Information

· Proper setup of the HCV is critical to the performance of the suspension system.

· Incorrect installation or adjustment of the HCV may result in poor performance & premature wear, or

failure, of the suspension system. Please read all instructions & contact the OEM or Ridewell if any

questions arise regarding proper installation.

· Adequate air supply is required for suspension performance. The OEM should specify air reservoir

requirements, as well as plumbing instructions for proper system operation. Figures 4 and 5 show generic

single & dual HCV plumbing arrangements.

· Be sure that there are no obstructed air lines supplying the system.

· A pressure protection valve (PPV) should be installed at the reservoir.

· For best performance, the HCV should be installed to allow lever angles of 20 to 45 degrees for full jounce & rebound conditions. Under no circumstances should the linkage system toggle

upon itself during suspension movement.

· Air lines must be connected to the HCV’s supply, suspension & dump ports. Proper torque of fasteners is

also important. See diagrams for port callouts and HCV torque specifications.

· The exhaust port (rubber boot end) of the HCV must be installed at, or below horizontal.

The HCV has an alignment notch on the drive bearing cap, that when aligned with the centering hole,

centers the HCV. This assists in obtaining desired supension ride height during installation.

RIDEWELL’S

HEIGHT & LEVELING

CONTROL VALVE

2 YEAR WARRANTY

8



· Prepare the vehicle for installation by parking on a level surface and chocking the wheels to preventmovement. Failure to follow acceptable safety precautions for supporting the weight and

preventing vehicle movement could result in serious injury.

· The suspension/axle system of the vehicle frame should be blocked to the desired ride height.

Consult the suspension or vehicle OEM for the proper suspension ride height.

· Determine the correct orientation of the lever to the drive cap. The alignment notch on the drive

bearing cap should be used to properly locate the drive cap with the lever placed in the cap slot - be

sure the lever rotates up to fill (“FILL”) and down to exhaust (“EXH”) direction as noted on the HCV

body. Assemble the lever to the drive mechanism with the 1/4” tapping screw. Torque to 50-55 in-lbs.

· Prior to installation, be sure the HCV drive system rotates freely in both directions by moving the lever.

· Install the HCV on the vehicle. Place two (2) t-bolts into the mounting slots and mount the HCV to

the vehicle frame or mounting bracket. Torque the 1/4-20 nuts to 60-80 in-lbs.

· Assemble the vertical linkage to the HCV and lower mounting bracket as shown in Figure 3. Thevertical link is adjustable at the lower end - any excess rod length should be cut off. See suspension

configurations for typical linkage installations and their components. Torque 1/4” and 5/16” fasteners to

60-80 and 90-120 in-lbs. respectively.

· The HCV should be in the center position prior to tightening the lower linkage connection (band clamp

on “P” connector).

· Install air lines to the correct HCV ports, ensuring that air lines do not chafe on the other components.

90 degree PTC elbows that install in the HCV ports are available from Ridewell, if necessary, to

redirect air lines.

· Air up the vehicle and check for leaks.

· Safely remove the mounting height blocks.

· Check for proper function of the HCV. Raise the suspension by manually rotating the lever 20 to 30degrees in the “FILL” direction. Upon release of the lever, the HCV should exhaust and the

suspension should return to its pre-set mounting height. Rotate the lever toward the “EXH” position 20

to 30 degrees - the suspension should return to the pre-set mounting height as the HCV adds air to

the air springs. If this operation is backwards, the drive bearing cap will need to rotate 180 degrees

and the lever re-positioned.

· Small adjustments may be necessary to achieve exact mounting height by adjusting the “P” connector

to the vertical link.

· As a final check, be sure no linkage binding or interference is present at full jounce & rebound of the

suspension system. In cases where a steer axle is used, be sure the wheels do not interfere with the

HCV and linkage system when turned.

Installation and Adjustment Instructions

Maintenance· Routinely inspect for proper mounting height and re-adjust if necessary.

· Inspect for air leaks.

· Inspect for loose connections and re-torque fasteners as necessary.

· Inspect for chafed air lines.

HEIGHTCONTROL VALVE

9



FIGURE 3Height Control ValveExploded View

FIGURE 1Non-Dump Valve Configuration(Shown with straight lever)

FIGURE 2Dump Valve Configurations(Shown with offset lever)

FIGURE 4

FIGURE 5

Single & Dual Height ControlPlumbing Arrangements

10



11

Symbol Identification

1 = Height Control Valve

2 = Lever

3 = Upper Pin Assembly

4 = Vertical Link

5 = “P” Connector

6 = Clamp

7 = Lower Pin Assembly

8 = Lower Bracket9 = Upper Bracket

Height Control Kit

Configurations



1. Raise and safely block trailer and axle. Remove tires. Remove shock from beam.

2. Deflate air springs and disconnect air control valve linkage between valve and axle.

3. Remove pivot nuts and bolts from hangers.

4. Rotate axle beams down and out of hangers. Remove aluminum cover plate from top of beam.

5. Inspect metal holes and surfaces for unusual wear or damage. Repair or replace components as required.

6. Remove huck bolts from bushing clamp by cutting the fastener in half at the collar with a torch as illustrated inFig. A. Remove bushing. NOTE: Huck fasteners will be replaced by conventional bolts, nuts and washers includedin the service kit.

7. Insert new bushing assemblies into beam sleeves. Install new bolts, nuts and washers into clamps. Torque clampbolts to 190 ft. lbs. minimum while making sure bushing is centered in the beam sleeve. Make sure clamp face isclosed “metal-to-metal” at top of clamp edge to beam. Install new cover plate. You may torque the bolts safely to280 ft. lbs. maximum.

8. Re-assemble beams to hangers, making sure the UHMW polyethylene bearing washer is on the inboard or shockside of suspension before pushing beams back into hangers. NOTE: Your service kit contains new UHMW poly-ethylene washers.

9. Align hanger holes to bushing sleeves and install new pivot bolts into hangers. Assemble shock to beam.

10.Re-align axles to trailer using alignment procedure on page 7.

11.Assemble tires and wheels to axle.

12.Re-attach air control linkage from height control valve to axle and inflate air springs. Adjust to proper ride height.

Parts Explosion

Pivot Bushing Replacement

Fig. A

®

COLLAR

CUT HERE

12

Suspension

Part No.Style

Hanger Assy

LH/RH

Bushing /Beam Assy

LH/RH

2000114 weld-on 3260094/95 5970121/22

2000116 weld-on 3260098/99 5970124/25

2000314 bolt-on 3260092/93 5970121/22

2000316 bolt-on 3260096/97 5970124/25

NOTE: Not all Ridelite models & part numbers are represented. Please

contact Ridewell for additional part number and service information.

manual soldadura ridwell

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