Slipper vs shackle

[rebar]

Hey everyone..

Ive been told to use slipper springs on a trailer that will see allot of forest service roads, but be more of a base camp trailer than a off road trailer..

Can anyone elaborate why use slipper? Because to me two bolts holding the spring is stronger than one..

Thanks!

 

[alia176]

My Kamparoo came with slipper springs and I was a tad incredulous but they have performed flawlessly. All be it a tad noisy but a solid performer through rock crawling as well as Death Valley's hours of washboards at high speeds. Mine has no shocks either which I thought was a little weird. I see that Kamparoo now adds shocks so I can add them but still not sure if they're worth the effort.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

 

[mikeprince]

I’m guessing the advice is cost based; slipper spring setups are cheaper and “good enough” for your application - so why spend more?

Regarding two bolts holding the spring, the rear of the slipper spring is limited on top and bottom by something (either range limiting bolts, or a bottom bolt and part of the frame or mounting bracket on top) and these elements are usually plenty strong. The failures I’ve seen are usually a poor welding job on the mounting bracket.

 

[billiebob]

Slipper springs are bullet proof. Shackles not so much. Not sure there is a cost saving either way.
And slipper springs articulate better.

Shackles off road can cam over, bend, twist. None of those things happen with slipper springs.
The only advantage to shackles is they are quieter on the highway.

I had a Caravan? snowmobile trailer with slipper springs.

 

[tatanka48]

if extended use is anticipated consider the maintenance/repair issue

shackle springs have a nylon/plastic bushing that can be replaced along w/ shackle plates and shackle bolts IN THE FIELD for chump change

the bushings can be monitored easily w/ a periodic(annual for me) inspections and replaced as necessary by me w/ common tools and a simple jack

places like Tractor Supply and Northern Tool regularly keep the shackle kits in stock

slipper springs do have fewer moving parts butt those parts rub together all the time and wear isn't as easily measured/monitored because the wear points are inside the keeper on the trailer frame making the wear points more difficult to monitor

some keepers can be replaced by cutting the old one off w/ a grinder or torch and a new one can be welded back in it's place

the springs do not wear as quickly as the keepers butt over time they do wear down and the whole leaf spring assembly(1-6 leaves ± ) will need replacing which can be costy

slipper spring repairs will most often require SHOP TIME whereas shackle spring repairs can most often be repaired IN THE FIELD

regular inspections and PM will likely preclude any OTR breakdowns needing any kind of repairs for either system

i personally have/tow trailers w/ both suspension types and have never had to deal w/ OTR repairs(fingers crossed)

T

 

[billiebob]

Maybe I should buy a Jeep with slipper springs ?

Slipper springs are not the best thing for a live axle.
altho there are a few Jeeps with 1/4 ellipitic slipper springs on 4 link suspensions.
Tremendous range of travel for a budget off road racer.

The common place for slipper springs is on high capacity trailers. The shackle is a weak point which can fold over under heavy loads. The slipper spring rides directly on the frame eliminating the height of the shackle.

 

[dytrdr5]

My opinion is if you want a nice ride use some YJ leaf springs, I’m using OME extra heavy on my trailer and they ride super nice, plus being 48 inches long vs the common 25 of most trailer leaf springs has its advantages. Running all branes4wd hardware, shackles are 1/2 inch thick and all brackets are 1/4 inch, that stuff isn’t going to wear or tear

 

[old_CWO]

As mentioned, you do tend to see slippers used on heavy duty trailers so I don't think there is any doubt as to the strength potential. On a lighter trailer that gets used in bumpy terrain they can be really noisy. For that reason alone I would not choose slippers for the application.

Jeep CJ or YJ springs and hangers are definitely a good option if you need an upgrade over standard trailer stuff.

 

[rnArmy]

They use slipper springs on the Harbor Freight trailer frames (which my trailer is based from). They may be rated for a good bit of weight, but they have no flex, so your trailer (and trailer contents) takes a beating. Switching them out to a longer spring with a shackle really made a difference in my situation. And it is a fairly cheap conversion.