Trailer Suspension Design

[nottie]

Alko

http://www.alko.com.au/vehicle/axles/irs.html

regards
Michael.

My vote aswell.
I have one under my camper. Have done heaps of trips on it aswell as the cape and never had a problem. It has shocks fitted aswell.
Most i know that have leaves have all had trouble.

[me3@neuralfibre.com]

on a semi related note
is or has anyone used the independant rubber torsion axle systems in the above posts???
Im looking to remodel my tandum car/machiney carrier trailer and was thinking these may be the go.it hauls near 3 tonnes and the trailer is around 1 tonne.
it runs a rocker tandum setup at the moment on 50mm axles but wears bushes regularly and the U bolts keep comming lose every few tousand kms (I think they stretch) and it does a heap of dirt roads.
any help would be tops
cheers andrew

The issue would be the load sharing. I think the Au design guide requires load sharing from memory (can download it)
It's the rocker bushes for the load sharing that wear fast.
You can get greasable bolts for that bush might help.
Have you tried Locktite on the UBolts? New nylocks helps too.
Mine don't come loose.

Paul

[ajsr]

on a semi related note
is or has anyone used the independant rubber torsion axle systems in the above posts???
Im looking to remodel my tandum car/machiney carrier trailer and was thinking these may be the go.it hauls near 3 tonnes and the trailer is around 1 tonne.
it runs a rocker tandum setup at the moment on 50mm axles but wears bushes regularly and the U bolts keep comming lose every few tousand kms (I think they stretch) and it does a heap of dirt roads.
any help would be tops
cheers andrew

The issue would be the load sharing. I think the Au design guide requires load sharing from memory (can download it)
It's the rocker bushes for the load sharing that wear fast.
You can get greasable bolts for that bush might help.
Have you tried Locktite on the UBolts? New nylocks helps too.
Mine don't come loose.

Paul

thanks for the thoughts paul.
I have double nuts on the u bolts with the second nut being a nyloc, thats why I think maybe they are stretching.the U bolts are only ones I have bought from trailer joints so maybe they are chineese/indian crap,I might get some locally made up.
the spring bushes (yes particlarly the center piovt) were originally a nylon type material but only lasted a few thousand km so the tralier joint gave me some steel ones they were ok but still wore badly and sqeeked horribly.
In the end I machined up some from brass at work at they have been better,they still wear but slower and are much quiter.
I have geasable pins on all pivots, which we grease every few hundred kms but because we do a heap of dirt rd kms I think the dirt is causing the wear mixing with the grease.
thats why i'm thinking of the irs torsion type axle (claimed matainance free) then maybe ive only got brakes and bearings to deal with.
cheers andrew

[me3@neuralfibre.com]

thanks for the thoughts paul.
I have double nuts on the u bolts with the second nut being a nyloc, thats why I think maybe they are stretching.the U bolts are only ones I have bought from trailer joints so maybe they are chineese/indian crap,I might get some locally made up.
the spring bushes (yes particlarly the center piovt) were originally a nylon type material but only lasted a few thousand km so the tralier joint gave me some steel ones they were ok but still wore badly and sqeeked horribly.
In the end I machined up some from brass at work at they have been better,they still wear but slower and are much quiter.
I have geasable pins on all pivots, which we grease every few hundred kms but because we do a heap of dirt rd kms I think the dirt is causing the wear mixing with the grease.
thats why i'm thinking of the irs torsion type axle (claimed matainance free) then maybe ive only got brakes and bearings to deal with.
cheers andrew

I remember the trailer joint I bought a heap of stuff from saying something about bush materials.
Some are designed to run dry, others with grease. As you said, grease can contribute to wear. I don't remember the combination (black plastic, vs red poly vs bronze)
Might pay to chase a few shops for advice.
If there are no shocks they are probably cycling much more than they should be from oscillations - that might help a lot.
That combo should not come loose unless not torqued up properly, or bolts are stretching. Sounds suspicous.
I like the dual leaf leaf sharing system - they tend to sit suprisingly well on bitchumen and dirt. Mine used to do enough dirt taking the rally car to events. Not thousands of KM, but plenty.

Paul

[Dirty]

So you've run radius arms and a panhard?

Jim,

Yep, pair of radius arms with air bags mounted behind the axle.

Panard on top.

My camper is huge and with tinnie on has a high point of 2.55m. So I needed to try and stop her wanting to fall over in corning and on side slops.

Works a treat.

- David.

[naif]

anyone used the CRUISEMASTER Coil trailer suspension setup? http://www.vehiclecomponents.com.au/con ... tentID=625

looks the goods t me but am unsure on how much it would cost.