Mechanical slider suspension optimized with air ride

A vehicular heavy-duty suspension system combining a slipper mechanical leaf spring suspension with an assistant air spring, comprising:

• an elongated leaf spring extending between a forward slipper end and a longitudinally-spaced rearward slipper end;
• a torque arm elongated between a first end and a spaced second end;
• a forward vehicle frame leaf spring hanger and a longitudinally-spaced rearward vehicle frame leaf spring hanger adapted to be hung from under the frame of a vehicle or a sliding subframe for the vehicle;
• a pivot bushing supporting the first end of the torque arm and pivotally connected to either the forward vehicle frame leaf spring hanger or the rearward vehicle frame leaf spring hanger;
• an assistant air spring comprising a resilient air bladder encompassing a gas filled interior and extending between a lower end connected to rigid bottom hardware and an upper end connected to a rigid upper hardware;
• wherein the rigid upper hardware is mounted affixed under the frame of a vehicle or the sliding subframe for the vehicle intermediate of the forward vehicle frame leaf spring hanger and the rearward vehicle frame leaf spring hanger;
• wherein the rigid bottom hardware is mounted affixed on top of the leaf spring intermediate the forward slipper end and rearward slipper end;
• wherein the leaf spring props up the forward vehicle frame leaf spring hanger and the rearward vehicle frame leaf spring hanger by the forward and rearward slipper ends of the leaf spring or else by forward end margins proximate the forward slipper end and rearward end margins proximate the rearward slipper end;
• wherein the leaf spring is shallowly bowed between the forward slipper end and rearward slipper end thereof
• wherein the heavy-duty suspension system further comprises an elongated axle extending between spaced left and right ends;
• wherein the axle is disposed directly underneath the assistant air spring and connected by the rigid bottom hardware thereof;
• wherein the torque arm pivot bushing is pivotally connected to the forward vehicle frame leaf spring hanger;
• wherein the second end of the torque arm is connected to the rigid bottom hardware connected to the lower end of the resilient air bladder of the assistant air spring;
• the second end of the torque arm is connected to the rigid bottom hardware connected to the lower end of the resilient air bladder of the assistant air spring and forward of the axle;
• and
• wherein the leaf spring, the torque arm and the assistant air spring are arranged in common to be symmetrically aligned about a vertical longitudinal plane of symmetry therefor, and whereby eliminating inherent twist in the system and supporting loads in the vertical longitudinal plane of symmetry which is common thereamong.