Study on the effect of suspension system friction of heavy-haul freight vehicles on the operation performance

During the operational life of heavy-haul freight vehicles, the long-term wear between components can affect the suspension parameters. Suspension system wear has a significant effect on the dynamic performance and wheel wear. Experimental tests are performed to measure the changes in suspension system parameters after wear. A dynamic model and wheel wear model of the heavy-haul freight vehicles were established to analyze their dynamics and wheel wear performance. The results showed that with the wear of the suspension system, the stiffness parameters further increase. The dynamic performance of the vehicle system deteriorates after suspension system wear, with a decrease in the critical speed and an increase in safety and ride indexes. The analysis also reveals that the wheel wear increases as the stiffness parameters increase after the suspension system wear. This paper provides a basis for maintaining heavy-haul freight vehicle suspension systems.