Tilly: Welcome to another episode of 2 Minutes With Tilly. Today, I’ve got the pleasure of having Kalsi from Alpha Suspensions here with Tilly. Kalsi, nice to meet you, mate.
Kalsi: Pleasure.
Tilly: Now, Kalsi, for those that don’t know yourself or your brand. Who’s Kalsi? Who is Alpha Suspensions, and what do you do?
Kalsi: I have been exposed to this industry for the last 15 years. I used to work for a company where I was exposed to a lot of different caravan suspensions. And during my period, I learned about different flaws where I could improve. And as fate would have it, when I got the opportunity, I started on my own and tried to improve on all the things that I always wanted to. So that’s how all Alpha Suspensions came into existence.
Tilly: Beautiful. Now we’ll get into more about the suspension a little bit later on, but did you know that the Alpha Suspension is a standard on the Retreat Fraser?
Kalsi: I have been blessed that I got support from the industry leaders like Retreat and Shaz. I’m thankful for that. And that support has led me to where we are at Alpha Suspensions. And I’m really thankful to Retreat.
Tilly: Well, we’re thankful for a very good product, of course, and not only on our Fraser, but it’s also on our Daydream and Electric RV models as well. So it’s clearly showing from us that you guys are doing something right. Now, what separates an Alpha Suspension from other suspensions?
Kalsi: There are some elementary things, which I fail to understand why people could not address it before this, like angle of the shock absorber to the trailing arm. For optimum performance of the shock absorber, it has to be at 90 degrees or close to 90 degrees to the trailing arm in the suspension for it to perform.
Tilly: Of course.
Kalsi: Something simple as that. And then we have made improvements with our alignment systems, with our overhangs, and especially the rigidity and weight savings on the thing.
Tilly: Which is a big thing in the caravan industry, of course.
Kalsi: Yeah. For a trailing arm, for a tandem system, we easily save about 20 kilos. That means an extra Jerrycan or a gen-set…
Tilly: Or gas bottles.
Kalsi: … An extra gas bottle, whatever you wanted to add. So over the period, we’ve tried to lean it down and make it more productive.
Tilly: Well, I’ve been trying to lean down for a long time, my friend, but it’s just not working for me. Maybe I need an Alpha Suspension in me.
Kalsi: Trust me. Our suspensions have been leaning and I’ve been piling up.
Tilly: Okay. All right. Now again, we’ll find out a little bit more about your suspensions a little bit later on. But Kalsi, I need to know this important question. Mahatma Gandhi, Aishwarya Rai, Sachin Tendulkar. If you had to date one, have a drink with one, or watch Netflix with one, who would it be?
Kalsi: Oh, of course. Date with Aishwarya Rai.
Tilly: I thought you’d say that.
Kalsi: And sorry, what was the other two? That was the most important, I’ve picked up.
Tilly: Yeah, of course, we have to get that one out. Do you have a significant other at home?
Kalsi: Yeah, of course.
Tilly: This is all a joke, of course. He would never date Aishwarya Rai. So who would you Netflix with? Mahatma Gandhi or Sachin Tendulkar?
Kalsi: I’d rather Netflix with Mahatma Gandhi.
Tilly: So you’re definitely having a drink with Tendulkar.
Kalsi: Yes.
Tilly: Okay. Well, that’s fantastic. I’d also have a drink with Sachin Tendulkar myself. Now, before I let you go, I want to find out a little bit more about your airbag suspension because you guys do provide a very substantial airbag setup.
Kalsi: Yes, we do. We have four different types. Type one, type two, type three, type four.
Tilly: Fast forward to the end mate. Because everyone really wants the big stuff.
Kalsi: See, there is something that people should know that from type two onward, everything comes with a remote control. You’re in the comfort of your car and you can alter the right height of your van with a remote. And when you come to the type four, it’s self-levelling.
Tilly: Self-levelling. Okay.
Kalsi: Self-levelling, like all these buses and everything, and then you can override it to be manual as well. But that is the top of the range. Were you aware that recently we’ve also introduced, instead of remote control, if somebody is comfortable with manual control, we can supply that option as well.
Tilly: Okay. That sounds interesting. And if people want to find out more, where should they go?
Kalsi: Alphasuspensions.com.au.
Tilly: Alphasuspensions.com.au.
Kalsi: Yep.
Tilly: Fantastic. Well, Kalsi, it’s been a pleasure having you here, mate. And do you mind, do you mind just for Aishwarya Rai herself, can I take a selfie with the man himself?
Kalsi: Yeah, sure.
