Acela Truck expands severe

Acela Truck Company is expanding its severe-service chassis portfolio with new Class 3-5 Ford F-Series and Ram 4×4 platforms equipped with its proprietary DuraLink suspension system, designed to provide specialty vehicle manufacturers and upfitters a turnkey alternative to conventional lift kits.

Built for demanding on- and off-highway applications, Acela’s DuraLink suspension solutions transform OEM Ford and Ram truck chassis into severe service, high-mobility platforms engineered for demanding commercial, governmental, defense and other vocational users, according to the company.

“While other solutions exist in the market today, they are more akin to light-duty lift kits,” said Bill Davidson, vice president of sales at Acela Truck Company. “DuraLink is a complete suspension solution that draws its lineage from proven Baja racing truck capabilities that have been highly engineered to perform in severe-duty defense, emergency response and severe vocational applications.”

DuraLink is a total suspension solution that incorporates

DuraLink is a total suspension solution that incorporates a multi-rate four-link suspension design with Bilstein coil-over and racing-tuned shock absorbers, along with optimized steering geometry and chassis control interfaces designed to address VDC, ABS and speedometer calibration when modifying the OEM chassis.

The system is engineered to increase wheel travel, improve damping and rebound control, reduce negative steering feedback caused by other “kits” and provide the additional ride height and ground clearance necessary to accommodate larger defense-rated tires.

Additionally, super-single wheel and tire configurations are available with tires up to 42 inches. DuraLink-equipped chassis are the result of nearly two years of engineering and testing.

The resulting ride quality at 80 MPH

“The resulting ride quality at 80 MPH on the highway, over rough terrain, or on washboard roads is nothing short of astonishing,” Davidson said.

DuraLink-equipped chassis are also available with an industry-exclusive 5-year warranty, providing vehicle manufacturers and end users with additional assurance for demanding operating environments.

Acela is offering their modified chassis as a turnkey package through a growing network of vehicle upfitters, modifiers and body builders. Rather than requiring an upfitter to engineer or install its own suspension conversion, Acela delivers a measurably superior chassis, ready for the customer’s specialized body or equipment package, allowing upfitters to focus on what makes their businesses unique while reducing production time, specialized labor requirements and engineering complexity.

The increased mobility of the platform can also

The increased mobility of the platform can also open applications where conventional wheeled trucks have historically been limited. In some mission profiles, the increased capability can provide an alternative to tracked vehicles while retaining the highway mobility and logistical advantages of a wheeled platform.

Alongside its Class 1-2 Jeep Gladiator-based Breacher and Class 6–8 Monterra 4×4 and 6×6 truck platforms, the DuraLink-equipped Ford and Ram platforms expand Acela’s severe-duty chassis offerings to cover all Truck Classes 1 through 8.

“Customers can now come to Acela for world-class severe-duty chassis capability across every truck class,” said Davidson. “We are giving final-stage manufacturers chassis capabilities that are simply not otherwise available in the marketplace.”