Trailer leaf spring installation

Now you know 2 great tips for making a better mount for trailer axle springs. For a third tip, use longer leaf springs. For all the jobs a utility trailer must do, these plans include so many options for both function and utility. Read The Article.

The big one, actually the big many. These Gantry Crane Plans include Engineering graphs to choose the beam and legs from lbs - lbs lifting capacity. Build to fit your…. It fits our smaller, lbs, utility trailers in 4' width and 5' width — for both leaf springs and torsion axles.

Put a walking beam style tandem axle suspension under your - lbs capacity trailer. Plans are engineered for the benefits of torsion rubber axles in a load sharing combination for a better ride. Wide enough to carry toys and for all the various chores, yet small enough for practicality. These plans include a ton of functional options. The unit sits against a wall so it can store cans anywhere with minimal encroachment into the room. Our smaller size Torsion Axle Trailer Plans.

Plans include several options for you to customize for your particular needs. Show Me GO. Weakening The Beams This stress distribution is typical of leaf type trailer axle springs. Can we avoid that?

TIP 1: Do not weld on the top or bottom face of a beam in areas of high stress. Spreading Trailer Axle Spring Stresses Another key to strengthening a trailer frame is reducing or eliminating the stress concentrations. Tip 2: Add a buffer between the main beam and the high load points. More Than Mounting Trailer Axle Springs The buffering trick above to spread stress of the trailer axle springs does more than just disperse stress concentrations near the brackets. Note the blues and greens in the two beams.

Blues, and especially darker blues are lower stress. Good Luck With Your Projects! Inline Feedbacks. View Comments. Load More Comments. Should you twist trailer safety chains to make them shorter? That part is good. However, there are big issues with twisting safety chains? Learning good trailer construction by examining bad is a great way to focus on details. Can you pick them out? Tricks To Weigh Heavy Things. How can I weigh heavy things — like a trailer frame — without a special super heavy duty scale?

When things get weird, we all want to see them. While it's fun to laugh or be shocked by yourself, it's even more fun to share with friends. If you see rattle-trap trailers on the road, snap a shot or….

Reverse Car Parking Stop. Yet, some of us still prefer a manual transmission for the driving experience — and rely on the parking brake. So, what happens. Upsized Gantry Crane Plans. Old Time Tiny House Trailers. There is a lot to learn from the past if we take a few minutes.

Spiraling Up. January 7, Mechanical Elements is back online with a new look, a new logo, new functionality, and a better shopping experience. Drill Matching Bolt Holes. So many times we need to make matching holes to bolt something on. You purchased something to mount on your trailer or your workbench or some other project, but now you need the exact. What does it cost to build? Making Changes To The Plans. Can I make changes to the plans at Mechanical Elements to fit my needs?

Buying A Used Trailer — Surprise!! People buy and sell used trailers all the time. These are usually thick in the middle and taper out toward the end, and they don't typically offer too much strength and suspension for towed vehicles. Drivers looking to tow heavier loads typically use multileaf springs , which consist of several leaf springs of varying length stacked on top of each other. The shorter the leaf spring, the closer to the bottom it will be, giving it the same semielliptical shape a single leaf spring gets from being thicker in the middle.

Leaf springs also have different ends, depending on where they're connected to the frame. On double-eye leaf springs , the top plate -- and therefore the longest -- has both ends curved into a circle.

The ends make two holes, which you can bolt to the bottom of a trailer's frame. Open-eye leaf springs have only one "eye," or open hole. The other end of an open eye leaf spring can be a hook end or a flat end. Properly installing leaf springs will ensure the best suspension for your tow vehicle; read about leaf spring installation on the next page.

Leaf springs are positioned behind the wheel -- you can't see them clearly when they're attached unless you crawl under the trailer -- so the wheel needs to be taken off completely before installation begins.

Once the wheel is off, you should notice a pair of hangers on either side of the axle. The hangars are usually small, extended pieces of metal with holes that hang down from the frame of the trailer.

Between the holes of these hangers is where you line up the eyes of a leaf spring, securing them with the proper hardware. If the leaf spring is a double-eye, one hanger will have a shackle link. Once the leaf springs are bolted into the hangers, the next step is to install a pair of U-bolts , two horseshoe-shaped metal rods. The leaf springs can be overslung placed over the axle or underslung placed under the axle. Either way, the U-bolts fit around the axle and secure to a metal plate that rests against the leaf springs.

The purpose of the U-bolts is to keep the leaf springs flush against the axle so they take the weight of the cargo and don't move around too much during driving. It's always important to check leaf springs and their accessories for wear -- a worn or cracked leaf spring can cause untold damage to a trailer and its contents. When taking leaf springs off, it's a good idea to check the shackle links for wear. A round ring of wear that matches the shape of the nut is OK, but once the shape becomes an oval, it's time to replace the shackle link.

Proper care of leaf springs will ensure a safe ride while towing by keeping the trailer's wheels on the ground and its cargo in place. Sign up for our Newsletter! Mobile Newsletter banner close.

Mobile Newsletter chat close. Mobile Newsletter chat dots. Mobile Newsletter chat avatar. Mobile Newsletter chat subscribe. Towing Equipment. Towing Accessories. How Leaf Springs Work. Would a pair of leaf springs help out this sorry state? Probably not, but trailers built with leaf-spring capabilities are much better at carrying heavy loads.