leaf spring shackle/link angle question -single axle trailer

[disney]

greetings all. I am not a trailer expert but I thought these are usually angled the other way. Is this ok, or is it wrong? (meaning the spring is too short, or the mount too far back) trailer is not new, and had no (known) issues, but it only gets used a few times a year. the pictures show the back side of the axle.

Hope everyone has a wonderful new year, and thanks for taking the time to read this.

 

[Tinhack]

You don't show the other end of the spring. I'm no expert either but I wouldn't want mine like that unless the other side of the spring is fixed. As the spring collapses from weight/bounce, it gets longer. The extra length has to go somewhere. Typically, a shackle allows the spring to lengthen but not go over center. The spring should not allow the axle to move fore and aft.

 

[disney]

sorry I forgot to mention that it is a double eye spring, so the other end is fixed. as the spring lengthens it would seem to make the shackle go more vertical, which would push the trailer up, again seems strange, but i am not an engineer.

 

[weldingisfun]

This how it should look. Yours is not mounted correctly.

 

[Egon]

What does it look like with a load on.

 

[the old grind]

You're perfectly fine, shackle in the back and room for the spring to lengthen when loaded. btw, remember Jeeps with front spring shackles in front? Not a smooth ride.

 

[ArtMech]

The problem would occur if the shackle and a spring leaf will appear in line. Since there is an angle between them and its flexion is outside, not inside, than all is good. At higher loads, both elements will acquire position shown in the weldingisfun drawing, as the pair of those elements will simply have no other path.
The designer may choose the way in the scheme (pic below) - either "A" or "B". It is important that both or all four leaf springs should be arranged identically.

 

[triptester]

The trailer springs may have been replaced with shorter springs. Trailer springs come in various lengths. The correct position is shown in post #4.

 

[the old grind]

'Position' is relative, not fixed, and doesn't rotate all that far when springs are flexed, and that's what shackles are for. In the OP's pic the trailer doesn't look loaded. Expect the shackle to rotate closer to vertical when it is.

Somebody is way over-thinking this. There is no magic, no looming disaster, no web site devoted to shackle angle that I know of.

 

[triptester]

Proper shackle spacing per axle manufacturer.

http://www.dexterpartsonline.com/files/2036913/uploaded/Leaf%20Spring%20Information.pdf