GeoTracker90 said:
With your experience would you say that the AT trailer's performance was:
A) Due to having the independent suspension.
B) Due to having air bags.
C) Due to having independent suspension and air bags.
It is probably hard to distill because it should all work as a system, but I'm trying to understand how a trailer with a beam axle and air bags might perform compared to one with an independent suspension and air bags.
Mike
Based on what I saw, there are a couple things that most likely affected the performance between our two trailers. Tires I feel had a big effect as the AT trailer had 35x12.5" tires and I am currently on 185-70-14". The larger tires and hence taller sidewall, helped assorb some of the shock, especially on the washboard roads. The second was the dampining of the airbags. Coming from the truck/hot rod world as well (my other hobby) airbags really help dampen the shock to the vehicle. You will actually see them compress and rebound.
I have noticed on my trailer, due in part to short, high rate trailer springs, they really never seem to compress and if they do, it is very little. A longer spring would help a lot. For standard leafs, there is the balance between load capacity and ride quality. Most trailer springs go for load capacity. This is where airbags really shine, as you can adjust for this.
As for a solid axle creating the hopping motion, my Cherokee is solid axle front and rear but does not get the hopping motion but that is due to the spring rates I am running. The axle is allowed to move yet is dampened correctly with the proper shocks.
Independent suspension on a trailer had some benefits but I think airbags have a bigger one regardless of axle type.
My opinion, FWIW :costumed-smiley-007