Trailer lift suspension question

[adventurebuddies]

My newly acquired trailer had 38" tires on it and the lift to accomodate those monsters. My 315/75R16s look pretty small under the fenders and the trailer sits higher than I need it to. My only suspension experience is with coil springs and the trailer has leaf springs.

Can I remove one of the leafs which would then make the suspension softer and reduce some of the lift? ( the suspension seems too stiff to get much of any articulation since the trailer doesn't seem heavy enough to compress the leaves much.)

Or, do I have to buy new leaf springs that are softer and provide less lift?

 

[seanz0rz]

those leaves are THICK!!! i would try taking the bottom two leaves out and see what that gets you.

if that doesnt work for you, i think youll have to find some new springs that are rated for something close to the trailer + gear. mine doesnt get much flex even when fully loaded (it just turns on the lunette) so i might end up pulling one leaf out of each side.

 

[Martyn]

In addition to what has been said already, think about going with something longer, the the 36" eye to eye range. Softer would be better, front springs from a CJ5 may work well.

Off the shelf trailer springs are too short and too stiff for what you require.

 

[socaljeeper]

Have you thought about reversing the spring over?

 

[adventurebuddies]

those leaves are THICK!!! i would try taking the bottom two leaves out and see what that gets you.QUOTE]

My thoughts exactly. That will drop me another inch which should get the trailer close to level since right now it slopes toward the truck.

I assume that removing those bottom two leaves will be easy - they are just held in place by the weight of the trailer and the ubolts, right? No welds to grind?

 

[adventurebuddies]

Have you thought about reversing the spring over?

Does that mean putting the leaves "under" the axle?

 

[socaljeeper]

Yes, it may be a better option. It will also help lower the center of gravity as well. That trailer sits high if I remember correctly. Also, changing the leaf spring length to something longer than 36" as Martyn said will help. That trailer has already seen already seen one broken leaf spring when we did Bradshaw trail. But that was before he added shocks to it.

Does that mean putting the leaves "under" the axle?

 

[adventurebuddies]

Yeah, I definately don't want to end up with broken springs. In order to flip the springs as suggested, do i have to weld new brakets or is it a simple reversal of the ubolt? I've never really looked at leaf sprung suspension up close.

I think Jon put these super stiff springs on it to prevent another breakage but it's just too stiff - the trailer is a little "bouncy" when highway towing. I've noticed that reducing air pressure helps a lot to make it tow more smoothly. Softer springs will probably help a lot more and the shocks should mellow it out nicely.

 

[adventurebuddies]

Also, if I'm understanding correctly, by reversing the springs to "under" the axle, does that mean that the weight of the trailer on the ax.el will essentially be "held" by just two ubolts on either side? In the current configuration, the ubolts just keep the axle from dropping out from under the trailer, but they aren't actually supporting the weight of the trailer?

 

[indiedog]

SUA would be fine, that config is used all the time with the U bolts taking the weight. From your pictures I'd say that there isn't a lot of room between the top of the springs and the bottom of the floor frame?? Might be worth measuring just how much clearance you'd get before swapping it. If you go and then make the springs softer you would need to allow a bit more clearance. That must be a large diam axle on that thing.

 

[GTKrockeTT]

are there any shackles connecting the leafs? if they are long, you can try going with shorter ones. my trailer was originally set as spring over, but wasn't level enough for my liking. ended up going spring under, but then it didn't look as good. so, i picked up slightly longer shackles and raised the lift up by just a tad. if you have any, you can do the reverse.

shackles

before:

after:

 

[R_Lefebvre]

Those leaves are massively thick. You need to watch out removing leaves. That will make the springs deflect more, but with that thick of a leaf, you will make the situation worse for eventual sagging, metal fatigue, and ultimately leaf breakage.

For high travel leaf springs, you want thinner leaves, but more of them to support the weight. Thinner leaves are more resistant to failure due to all the flexing. Thinner leaves don't stress the top and bottom surface of the leaf as much as when they are thicker, for a given deflection.

I'd really just plan on replacing those with something more suited for the use, such as the Jeep springs.

 

[jdholder]

Springs are CHEAP Markus - There are multiple places online that have springs, but we live close to an AMAZING Spring shop in Deavers in Santa Ana.

If you want it softer, I would take it to them and have some springs made.

 

[adventurebuddies]

I will look into getting new springs. In the mean time, I took the two short leaves out and it tows very nicely now. Almost no feedback from the trailer and it's sits level now with the truck. Finally it no longer looks like such a monster trailer....

 

[jdholder]

Have you started the "kitchen build" yet?