Pretty beefy landscape type trailer with leaf spring suspension. Last time I loaded it with 1.5 yards of stone, the already flared fender cut a tire on the right side. OK, the over sized tires don't really help.....
Today I loaded ~3/4 yard of stone, no cut tires, but clearly the right side sits lower than the left. I don't feel anything while driving, but it appears the right side flattens out and the axle moves aft a bit, it relocates to center once unloaded. To bring it back, do I replace the lef springs? What if that's not enough? I have some VW Jetta coils up in the attic, also a set of coil overs from a motorcycle. Add more spring? Go for lo-pro skinny tires?
Left side:
Right side:
Inspect the springs, see if there is any difference between the sides? Bushings may be part of it, but yeah it probably needs new springs.
I seem to remember that it was at least semi-off sides last time you posted. One side further into the trailer than the other? May be a symptom of what you've got going on.
fanfoy
SuperDork
8/13/20 2:33 p.m.
To further what Mr_Asa is saying...slightly loosen the spring eye bolts and shackle bolts. Sometimes, when the bushings get loose, people over-torque the bolts which prevents movement in the spring.
Thanks guys. The right side is loose-ish and moves which is indicated in photos, left side not so much.
I don't see a GVW tag on it, but it appears to be a 5,000lb trailer; off spring shopping and for tires. I like those wheels, I'll find a way past this.
Dan
You could always dismount the fenders from the trailer and mount them to the axle?
Slightly off-topic, are those Crown Vic wheels?
Are the ride heights to the frame equal? Maybe the fenders are asymmetric on either side.
No, fender to frame distance, fender height, outboard axle tip to frame are all equal on each side. Front crossmember to axle also identical. The only variable is the way the right spring acts.
I scratched around and found a plate identifying the Continental Boat Trailer Co, Los Angeles, CA; the first and last numbers are illegible. Their site shows all galvanized trailers, nothing like my dump trailer. Could be a transplanted ID plate.
Are 5 lug hubs ever on 5,000lb axles? I thought 5 lug would be a 3500 lb axle.
Chesterfield, they came from a Lincoln.
I looked at Continental Boat Trailer Co, everything available is aluminum and only for boats, so I assume the tag is a transplant.
Looking through other web sites (Big Tex Trailers etc.) it appears mine is a 3500lb trailer. The steps welded fore & aft of the fender make it difficult to relocate the fender, possible but not fun. Why would they weld a 4X4 square tube on top of the 4X4" tongue? Raise the hitch point?
Mr_Asa
Dork
8/14/20 10:07 a.m.
spitfirebill said:
Are 5 lug hubs ever on 5,000lb axles? I thought 5 lug would be a 3500 lb axle.
One of my boat trailers is 5-lug. There's no way it ever approached even 3500lbs
So visually, the only difference is the right side shackle is rotating aft where the left side shackle is not moving at all. The "Plan Du Jour" is to weld up the shackle that's moving and replace the springs with something tougher.
Film at 11:00 ....
Mr_Asa
Dork
8/14/20 12:21 p.m.
In reply to 914Driver :
Unless I missed something, shackles are supposed to rotate. Otherwise you don't have any suspension movement. Good way to damage your frame or something else
If you weld the shackle, it may well break the eye off the spring instead. If the shackle doesn't move, something else will.
It sounds like you may have a weak spring or possibly a broken spring. I would replace them with a new set.
Rats, the hard way again? OK.
Are they slipper springs or double eye?
If they are slipper springs then they should use a fixed mount at one end and just a loose retainer at the other.
If double eye, then in end should have a fixed pivot and one should be a moveable shackle.
The description of what's happening sounds like you may have slipper springs and the fixed mount is able to move.
No slippers; eye on each end, forward one locked in, rear has a shackle.
I'm leaning toward shot spring, buying two.
In reply to 914Driver :
In that case, go back to fanfoy's post (third in the thread) and check those things and make sure the bushings allow rotation.
In reply to 914Driver :
Sounds like that's the problem. I wouldn't be surprised if you find a broken leaf (or two) when you take it apart.
