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VB GOES DAKAR
We are proud to present this Dakar Guide 2014 - read
on to find out why VB-Airsuspension tests its technology
during the Dakar Rally and about the different teams that
are helping in the preparations for the upcoming Dakar.
Watch the Dakar Rally and follow our teams on Eurosport!
DAKAR GUIDE 2014
It would appear their choice was a good one as Martin van den Brink (eleventh) and Jos Smink (twelfth) came within striking distance of the top 10. Based on their experience at the last Dakar and the Silk Way Rally, VB-Airsuspension implemented several improvements and continued to work on new developments. Iginio Voorhorst, director of VB-Airsuspension, stated: “We improved the sensor acknowledgements and developed different bellows that provided higher levels of comfort and greater rigidity. We are currently testing a new design of bump stop aimed at reducing the extent to which impacts are transmitted. A modified roll stabiliser means trucks can take corners more quickly. All these modifications have served to make the air suspension system even better.”Martin van den Brink explains: “The combination of independent wheel suspension and VB air suspension is now extremely effective. The product from VB-Airsuspension is reliable and that is very important for us. We made good progressup the rankings again this year and we believe these new vehicle modifications will enable us to drive even faster.”Van der Brink’s Mammoet team and the Ginaf Rally Power team act as test teams. Wuf van Ginkel: “The differences between the old and
the new trucks are significant and demand a different approach. The new systems were trialled during the Silk Way Rally and at the test week in Morocco where they performed flawlessly. The final modifications to the air suspension, the roll stabilisers and the controls are now complete. The next stage will be to fit the VB-Airsuspension components to the other Ginafs.”Iginio Voorhorst is over the moon with these developments. He hopes that Ginaf’s presence and performance in the Dakar will help shine the spotlight on his products. “Hidden away beneath the vehicle, our product is functional and certainly not sexy. Sport is an excellent way to raise our profile since sport is all about performance and therefore visibility. The great thing is that the main parts used on the racing trucks are exactly the same as those used for commercial vehicles. Commercial vehicles and the Dakar were made for one another, but it’s not just the racing trucks; vehicles in the service and press fleet have been fitted with our air suspension systems too. VB has a particular focus on pick-ups and 4x4 vehicles. We have recently developed air suspension kits for the top six pick-ups on the market: products that live up to expectations and are built to withstand the toughest of conditions.”
DAK ARSPECIAL
The three new Ginafs driven by Edwin and Wuf van Ginkel and Jos Smink, the Mammoet Rallysport trucks with Martin van den Brink, Pascal de Baar and Jack Brouwers at the wheel, Jan Lammers’ Ginaf and the Ginaf Service rapid response truck will all be fitted out with air suspension systems from VB-Airsuspension for the upcoming Dakar.The Ginaf team had been driving with hydraulic suspension for years, but following recurrent problems during Dakar 2011 they decided it was time to try something different. Air suspension seemed to be the solution. However, their own air suspension system was dogged by problems at Dakar 2012, and as a result Ginaf started looking round for alternatives outside the company. Martin van den Brink trialled VB’s air suspension system during the 2012 Silk Way Rally. Over the course of the rally, Wuf van Ginkel saw at first hand how the system effectively eliminates a range of problems and, as a result, Ginaf decided to take the plunge.
THE PRIDE OF HOLLAND VB-AIRSUSPENSION
VB-Airsuspension: more com-fort And fAster cornering
TESTED IN THE DAkARThe toughest rally in the world is the place for companies in the automotive world to see and be seen. Dutch company VB-Airsuspension, based in Varsseveld, is supplying air suspension systems for the Ginaf trucks and a number of service and press vehicles. Their aim is to raise the profile of the company and demonstrate that VB-Airsuspension products offer top quality and performance. | Text and photos: Marcel Vermeij |
DAK ARSPECIAL
www.vbairsuspension.com
VB-Airsuspension is one of the few European manufacturers producing a wide range of (air) suspension sys-
tems - From semi air suspension and simple reinforced coil spring suspension to full air suspension systems, we
offer customers the ideal solution with a range of applications for ambulances, car transporters, motorhomes,
4x4 vehicles and pick-ups. VB-Airsuspension subjects its technology to rigorous testing, including the tough
conditions of the Dakar rally, so that when it comes to ‘normal’ use you can be sure of the very best performance.
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