Hey, theres a trailer forum here too?? /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Got a 4x8 foot bed, single axle home made utility trailer. Weight is approximately 400lbs.
Suspension on it is shot. Leaf spring, no shocks. Shackles are worn out from the bolts that pass through them, the bushings for the spring eyes are gone, and the bolts, while the type you can lube through, are probably also garbage. In other words, tons of slop in the axle setup.
My friend stores it for me because he uses it more than I do. Good thing is, he does all the work on it that needs done, and I get to use it whenever I want. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif Anyways, he was looking at it, and suggested that we do away with the suspension, just weld the axle (square tubing) to the frame, which is round tubing. He thought maybe make something like a reverse spring perch on the trucks, so that he could get a good weld on it.
The trailer HAS probably carried close to a ton, which is definitely overloading it, but it didn't really complain. A bit of a funny angle to the wheels, but it worked. Easily carries 1000lbs quite often.
Is there any downside on a trailer to mounting the axle straight to the frame? At this point, when hooked up to any of the trucks we tow with, the butt end of the trailer sticks up a fair amount. Would probably sit more level if the suspension was gone. I can't really imagine any problems with no suspension on a trailer, but obviously quite a few trailers do have suspension, must be there for a reason. Without shocks (very poor setup whoever made it, both ends of the shock mounts are almost parallel with the ground) the thing bounces all over the place unloaded anyways. Can't imagine it any worse without springs!
Also, the wheels are some weird design, but I'm assuming some "standard" pattern. Lots of weight on them, and they look ancient. He tried GM 4.75" on 5, and since they were too big, he suspects these are 4.5" on 5 wheels, (they are 14") but neither of us know anything other than GM, so we don't have any idea what vehicle to get a set from. I'm sure the wheel patterns are on the net somewhere, but a lot of people here I bet know this info off the top of their heads. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Got a 4x8 foot bed, single axle home made utility trailer. Weight is approximately 400lbs.
Suspension on it is shot. Leaf spring, no shocks. Shackles are worn out from the bolts that pass through them, the bushings for the spring eyes are gone, and the bolts, while the type you can lube through, are probably also garbage. In other words, tons of slop in the axle setup.
My friend stores it for me because he uses it more than I do. Good thing is, he does all the work on it that needs done, and I get to use it whenever I want. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif Anyways, he was looking at it, and suggested that we do away with the suspension, just weld the axle (square tubing) to the frame, which is round tubing. He thought maybe make something like a reverse spring perch on the trucks, so that he could get a good weld on it.
The trailer HAS probably carried close to a ton, which is definitely overloading it, but it didn't really complain. A bit of a funny angle to the wheels, but it worked. Easily carries 1000lbs quite often.
Is there any downside on a trailer to mounting the axle straight to the frame? At this point, when hooked up to any of the trucks we tow with, the butt end of the trailer sticks up a fair amount. Would probably sit more level if the suspension was gone. I can't really imagine any problems with no suspension on a trailer, but obviously quite a few trailers do have suspension, must be there for a reason. Without shocks (very poor setup whoever made it, both ends of the shock mounts are almost parallel with the ground) the thing bounces all over the place unloaded anyways. Can't imagine it any worse without springs!
Also, the wheels are some weird design, but I'm assuming some "standard" pattern. Lots of weight on them, and they look ancient. He tried GM 4.75" on 5, and since they were too big, he suspects these are 4.5" on 5 wheels, (they are 14") but neither of us know anything other than GM, so we don't have any idea what vehicle to get a set from. I'm sure the wheel patterns are on the net somewhere, but a lot of people here I bet know this info off the top of their heads. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
