Link Manufacturing's new 85K Air Link Tandem Drive Chassis Suspension is a crossover product from the company's defense line, says Niel Mardell, Product Manager for Heavy Vocational Products and Defense Program Manager, at Link Manufacturing. Because it was designed to meet the demanding requirements of military applications, the company felt the suspension design could provide high capacity and performance for commercial vehicle applications, as well. Features of the suspension which benefit commercial vehicles include the ability to operate without air. This means that if an air bag were to break, vehicle operators can continue their work instead of stopping immediately for maintenance. Mardell says this is particularly beneficial for fleets which may be operating far from their home base or maintenance shop. Independent control of each side of the suspension enables the vehicle, like a dump truck, to always be level even if material in the dump bed is heavily loaded on one side. This helps to ensure stable travel for the vehicle, as well as comfort for the operator.