Suspension options

[bgenlvtex]

Thank you for the 4x4 lesson. There is no cross axle articulation on a single axle trailer.

Sure there is and it is significant provided the spring rate is corrrect for the load.

Are you legitimately saying that you don't believe that the suspension will compress on one side of the trailer while extending on the opposite side? If so, we may have found the root of your misunderstanding.

 

[m_lars]

Thank you for the 4x4 lesson. There is no cross axle articulation on a single axle trailer.

Sure there is and it is significant provided the spring rate is corrrect for the load.

Are you legitimately saying that you don't believe that the suspension cannot compress on one side of the trailer while extending on the opposite side? If so, we may have found the root of your misunderstanding.

If you park a solid axle trailer with one wheel on a rock, it will sit at an angle. If you park an independent suspension trailer on the same rock, it will sit at the same angle. There is no force to compress the suspension on the high side more to make the trailer level.

I never said solid axle was better, I said it was much more simple system and much cheaper. It’s hard to argue with keeping things simple in the backcountry! In my view, especially in the OP’s desire to keep cost down, any advantages of independent suspension are far outweighed by the cost. If you have nothing better to spend your money on then go for it. But, if you’re on a budget, there a way more important things to spend that money on. I do this on a pretty tight budget as we work through baby step 3.

 

[Red_Leaf_Overland]

Go to an offroad shop that lifts Jeeps, they will have a pile of control arms and will probably give them to you. Build/buy mounts and you're most of the way there

I used to work for a 4x4 shop for almost 10 years lol. De idea to have a family and move north and now there isn't one closer than about 3 hour drive away. And none of them give stuff away, everything has a price lol.
I work in a steel shop now so making up a new control arm would almost as easy as finding one used and making it work to fit the trailer.

 

[MOAK]

If you park a solid axle trailer with one wheel on a rock, it will sit at an angle. If you park an independent suspension trailer on the same rock, it will sit at the same angle. There is no force to compress the suspension on the high side more to make the trailer level.

I never said solid axle was better, I said it was much more simple system and much cheaper. It’s hard to argue with keeping things simple in the backcountry! In my view, especially in the OP’s desire to keep cost down, any advantages of independent suspension are far outweighed by the cost. If you have nothing better to spend your money on then go for it. But, if you’re on a budget, there a way more important things to spend that money on. I do this on a pretty tight budget as we work through baby step 3.

I agree, I followed behind a trailer with independent suspension. All of the articulation happens at the hitch. The entire trailer articulates, just as my solid axle trailer articulates at the hitch. I’d love to see a film or a lecture on physics that would prove me wrong because I do enjoy learning new things. The only way spring articulation could happen with a single axle trailer would be if there were two hitches that would keep the trailer body on the same plane as the tow vehicle.

 

[bgenlvtex]

I used to work for a 4x4 shop for almost 10 years lol. De idea to have a family and move north and now there isn't one closer than about 3 hour drive away. And none of them give stuff away, everything has a price lol.
I work in a steel shop now so making up a new control arm would almost as easy as finding one used and making it work to fit the trailer.

Barnes 4WD for components like spring saddles, heim joints if it helps.

 

[Red_Leaf_Overland]

Barnes 4WD for components like spring saddles, heim joints if it helps.

It's hard to get Barnes parts around here. There a a few "local" fabricators around that form builder parts. Most of the brackets and tabs on my Jeep are TMR or a local guy.

 

[PCO6]

It's hard to get Barnes parts around here. There a a few "local" fabricators around that form builder parts. Most of the brackets and tabs on my Jeep are TMR or a local guy.

... you beat me to it. TMR has closed its showroom btw and is almost fully on line sales now. You can get a back door pick up though. I can walk there ... but it's more fun to drive my Jeep.

 

[Red_Leaf_Overland]

lol ya I used to pic up parts on my way to work all the time when I lived in Keswick and commuted to Toronto. either for myself, others at work, or for JJ's lol. the guys would just let me know they had an order lol.
Between TMR and Trailhead Customs those guys have made just about everything on my Jeep lol. Now that I'm further north things aren't as easy to just go grab lol.

 

[Mountaintrails71]

I would suggest to anyone to buy trailer parts from trailer supply companies like Six Robblees Inc or EasternMarine.com. I have recently started buying from Eastern Marine and even paying shipping and it’s been better than other places. Super happy with the service.

 

[Mountaintrails71]

My trailer is built on the “kiss” rule. Keep it simple stupid.. on long trips if I have a failure. I can find parts almost anyplace. 6 lug Toyota/Chevy bolt pattern. Common Dexter 3500 point axle so bearings are easy to get. 25 1/4 eye to eye springs so I can find and swap a spring easily. Common lights, etc.

 

[Red_Leaf_Overland]

So I am thinking that I mat try to use the torsion axles that I have sitting around... at least for now. I am not sure how they will hold up and my straight axle I have is currently under a trailer I use to move my TJs hardtop around in the summer. This will save me some hassle ( short term at least) of building control arms for an independent coil sprung suspension. It will also allow me to see how the weight of mt trailer reacts to a 2000lb "spring" which fully loaded the trailer may be close to that weight ( although I am thinking closer to 1500 lbs).
The downside to this is the torsion axles sit low and are not as easy to "lift". So I am thinking of basically making a brace to drop the mounting points lower and provide the extra height needed to get the trailer sitting roughly where I want it. Here is what I have come up with.....I'm thinking that my axle drop for torsion axles may just end up being 2x2 all the way across/through and 6x2 risers with a plate for the torsion axles to sit on... if anyone see any issues, weak points, cause for concern I'm all ears. Again I am kinda just using parts I have laying around already to build this thing without trying to spend a whole lot of money on it ( which I know can sometimes bite me in the ass).

 

[RaD Overlanding]

So I am thinking that I mat try to use the torsion axles that I have sitting around... at least for now. I am not sure how they will hold up and my straight axle I have is currently under a trailer I use to move my TJs hardtop around in the summer. This will save me some hassle ( short term at least) of building control arms for an independent coil sprung suspension. It will also allow me to see how the weight of mt trailer reacts to a 2000lb "spring" which fully loaded the trailer may be close to that weight ( although I am thinking closer to 1500 lbs).
The downside to this is the torsion axles sit low and are not as easy to "lift". So I am thinking of basically making a brace to drop the mounting points lower and provide the extra height needed to get the trailer sitting roughly where I want it. Here is what I have come up with.....I'm thinking that my axle drop for torsion axles may just end up being 2x2 all the way across/through and 6x2 risers with a plate for the torsion axles to sit on... if anyone see any issues, weak points, cause for concern I'm all ears. Again I am kinda just using parts I have laying around already to build this thing without trying to spend a whole lot of money on it ( which I know can sometimes bite me in the ass).


View attachment 252681

That's how I would do it as well. Personally, I would try to use a heavy wall 2x2, just to make sure it's as strong as can be. But, I'm also all about "using what I have on hand".

Looking forward to seeing the finished product!

Rick

 

[Gatorgrizz27]

I went with what I felt like was the “Goldilocks” approach to suspension, the Timbren silent ride setup, which you don’t see often for some reason. It gives you the ride benefits of their axle-less setup, with the strength and lack of alignment issues of a solid axle. I used a 4” drop axle rotated up, giving 16” clearance under the axle tube. Their 2000 lb setup uses a 3500 lb axle, hubs and spindles for strength, and the U-bolt plates are welded to the axle tube so it won’t rotate. No brakes yet but they can be added in the future.

https://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Leaf-Spring-Suspension/Timbren/TSR2000S03.html

 

[Red_Leaf_Overland]

I went with what I felt like was the “Goldilocks” approach to suspension, the Timbren silent ride setup, which you don’t see often for some reason. It gives you the ride benefits of their axle-less setup, with the strength and lack of alignment issues of a solid axle. I used a 4” drop axle rotated up, giving 16” clearance under the axle tube. Their 2000 lb setup uses a 3500 lb axle, hubs and spindles for strength, and the U-bolt plates are welded to the axle tube so it won’t rotate. No brakes yet but they can be added in the future.

View attachment 252814

https://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Leaf-Spring-Suspension/Timbren/TSR2000S03.html

I could probably make something similar to this if I rob the axle off my boat trailer... which I also need to rebuild lol....

 

[smritte]

Thats actually kinda cool.

 

[Red_Leaf_Overland]

I finally started my trailer build.
I have a thread started on the progress here:

My DIY offroad utility (base camp) trailer

So I have been planning different aspects of this build for a fairly long time and have finally started building it. I started out by making some drawings up to get an idea of materials used and a rough finished weight ( guesstimation before getting to far in and realizing it's way too heavy...

www.overlandbound.com

I decided to have a little extra fun with the build and go with independent suspension of my own design.