Trailer Springs

[gemini5362]

I had a post earlier about a used dump trailer that I bought that the axle came out from under it on the way home. I am about caught up to where I can work on it later this week or next week. I need some advice about springs. The trailer did not come with springs on it the axle was welded to some 2" X 2 " square stock and then that was welded to the frame. I was going to get some 3 x 3 square stock to give me a bit more space over the tires. I was going to take a piece of 3inch X 1/4 inch angle drill two holes for a ubolt to fit through. Weld the 3x3 to the axle then to the frame. weld the 3 inch angle across the frame and the 3 inch stock then take a u bolt and bolt the axle to that also. I figured that would hold pretty much anything I could do to it. Several of my friends have told me that it will not work. They are saying that without springs the shock to the frame will break the welds loose eventually no matter how good a job I do welding it. I dont know enough to know if I have to have springs on it. The trailer has a single axle on it with dual wheels on each side of the axle. The Dump Bed is a Heil 3 yard bed.
The whole trailer was homemade. I think once I get the axle situation taken care of it will be a really handy trailer. Any advice I can get will be greatly appreciated.

 

[BarryinMN]

I would agree with your friends on this if your are planning any speed or distance with the trailer. Shock loads will beat the trailer apart and the tow vehicle will take some of that pounding as well. Airing down the trailer tires for a smoother ride may cause them to overheat & blowout.

Envision the trailer hitting a pothole flying up in the air a foot and going sideways then landing & being jerked straight again behind the tow vehicle.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

The whole trailer was homemade. I think once I get the axle situation taken care of it will be a really handy trailer. Any advice I can get will be greatly appreciated.

I totally agree with BarryinMN.

If you are not capable of installing springs or torsion axles, then I would suggest you take the trailer to a body shop that can add springs for you. I simply do not believe that there is any way for the welds to hold due to the shocks of the road. JMO

 

[gemini5362]

Interesting observations. My friends are saying the same things. I have a motorcycle that I have used for years that does not have springs and it works great loaded. The reason for that I guess might be because the motorcycle itself has springs. I actually have a set of springs with 7 leaves and a heavy overload spring on it that I can put on it. My friend that is a very good fabricator is going to help me fix it and he said that we can put springs on it with no problem. He was just of the opinion the same as I was that you did not have to put them on it.

 

[DieselPower]

I would have to agree with your friends and everyone else here that the trailer will probably shake itself apart without a suspenssion. Spring kits for trailers are neither expensive or hard to install.

 

[tommu56]

gemini5362

Mobile home axles would work fine and usually have springs and are usualy cheep$$$$$$

I know some people think they are one way axles but.

I have a single axle one for over 30 years and haven't had a problem with it.
with regular maintenance.

If going for new axle look close at the torsion axles if I build another one I would look hard at them (we have a travel trailer and a cargo trailer with them on them and I love them)

tommu56

 

[wroughtn_harv]

You can go to your trailer supply with the frame measurements of the trailer. They can get you a pair of torsion axles made that will fit perfectly. With the torsion axles you can get up to a ten degrees rise or lower of your ride height when you order them.

When you add up the cost of the springs, bolts, hangers, etc. the cost of the torsion is minimally more. Installation is so much easier and you get independent suspension which is handy too.

 

[gemini5362]

The torsion springs sound like a good ide. Fortuneatly for me though I have a house I bought that is a rental house. It is on 5 acres and the first person that rented it did not worry about the back part of the land. There is a bunch of steel back there. It is empty now so I am getting ready to clean it up. I was back there checking out the scope of the work. There is some pickup beds back there and other stuff. While I was looking i found two sets of leaf springs with 7 leaves and a fairly big overload leaf. Since they are free and had shackles with them that seems to me to be the best bet. My friend will help me weld them on.

I was just worried the springs would make the trailer bouncy.

 

[MrJimi]

7 leafs with an overload sound pretty heavy duty and as for the bounce , I have not seen shocks under a trailer it must not be a problem.
How heavy and what size is your trailer and do you have pictures of it
Jim

 

[BarryinMN]

I have a motorcycle that I have used for years that does not have springs and it works great loaded.

A MC trailer is subject to the same dynamic loads. Difference being a much less mass, shorter trailer tongue, lower center of gravity, and the wheels may have a greater gyroscopic stabilizing effect.

Plus, a biker tends to look further ahead in time to dodge the hazards my big the fear is T-boning a left turner