Side load compensating airspring for a vehicle suspension and method

A telescopic strut (10) for a vehicle suspension of the airspring type with a flexible sleeve (20) forming a chamber portion (A-B,A'-B') and a rolling lobe portion (B-C,B'-C'). The chamber portion is attached to a tilted closure (14) and the rolling lobe portion of the airsleeve is attached to a piston (18) that is transversely moved which introduces a shear force (FT) into the airsleeve and increases a surface area on an upward tilted side of the sleeve so as to provide side load compensation and where the axial length of the rolling lobe is substantially equalized to enhanced flexural life. A method of imparting a side load force with an airspring fastened between a fixed member (12) and reciprocating member (16) of a vehicle suspension, is provided by tilting a closure member (14) of the airspring, transversely moving a piston (18) connected to a rolling lobe portion of the airspring while distorting a chamber portion of the airspring, and eccentrically offsetting the piston in a manner that tends to equalize an axial length of a rolling lobe.