Trailer leaf spring??

O.A.P · 28-07-2014 11:39pm #1

I have a homemade trailer for the last five or six years, that's in very good order , galvanized, double axel, 10x5 1/2 foot , Two foot timber boxes with galvanized angle iron frames and it weighs a tonne empty, it also has a Bradley hitch, brakes and lights.
Recently I have made galvanized extensions to the timber boxes, making the full trailer five foot high with everything in place .
Before I extended the trailer, I have towed 3 1/2 tonne of sand and up to 3 tonne of timber (over 60 miles) in it without any problem.
This weekend I brought home my turf in the trailer and for some reason it started to rub on the tires, I doubt I had any more than two and half tonnes of turf in the trailer at most.
Its a seven mile draw with five miles of that being just track, so maybe the rough track and 2.5 tonnes of turf together caused failure of the leaf springs I am not sure (old age??) , anyway I think 3 ton is about the right load for this trailer so my question is what leaf springs do I get?
Four springs rated at a ton each and where will I get them in Ireland, sorry for the long post and thanks very much for any help

CJhaughey · 30-07-2014 9:21am

O.A.P wrote: »

I have a homemade trailer for the last five or six years, that's in very good order , galvanized, double axel, 10x5 1/2 foot , Two foot timber boxes with galvanized angle iron frames and it weighs a tonne empty, it also has a Bradley hitch, brakes and lights.
Recently I have made galvanized extensions to the timber boxes, making the full trailer five foot high with everything in place .
Before I extended the trailer, I have towed 3 1/2 tonne of sand and up to 3 tonne of timber (over 60 miles) in it without any problem.
This weekend I brought home my turf in the trailer and for some reason it started to rub on the tires, I doubt I had any more than two and half tonnes of turf in the trailer at most.
Its a seven mile draw with five miles of that being just track, so maybe the rough track and 2.5 tonnes of turf together caused failure of the leaf springs I am not sure (old age??) , anyway I think 3 ton is about the right load for this trailer so my question is what leaf springs do I get?
Four springs rated at a ton each and where will I get them in Ireland, sorry for the long post and thanks very much for any help

Portlaoise springs advertise sometimes on Donedeal. never had to use them myself but they say they can make any kind of spring you want.

Testacalda · 30-07-2014 1:11pm

Four leaf springs will do the job better

I always find Whites Trailers sales in Abbeyshrule a decent source of trailer parts for all makes and homemade generic parts

Be careful with your towing weights, Gross max for Class B vehicles is just 3500kg

Tail Docker · 04-08-2014 11:52pm

O.A.P wrote: »

I have a homemade trailer for the last five or six years, that's in very good order , galvanized, double axel, 10x5 1/2 foot , Two foot timber boxes with galvanized angle iron frames and it weighs a tonne empty, it also has a Bradley hitch, brakes and lights.
Recently I have made galvanized extensions to the timber boxes, making the full trailer five foot high with everything in place .
Before I extended the trailer, I have towed 3 1/2 tonne of sand and up to 3 tonne of timber (over 60 miles) in it without any problem.
This weekend I brought home my turf in the trailer and for some reason it started to rub on the tires, I doubt I had any more than two and half tonnes of turf in the trailer at most.
Its a seven mile draw with five miles of that being just track, so maybe the rough track and 2.5 tonnes of turf together caused failure of the leaf springs I am not sure (old age??) , anyway I think 3 ton is about the right load for this trailer so my question is what leaf springs do I get?
Four springs rated at a ton each and where will I get them in Ireland, sorry for the long post and thanks very much for any help

Go to A&L Castors in Tallaght. Simples. Wherever else you buy them, will have bought them there first...

O.A.P · 05-08-2014 12:18am

Are my calculations right though ? Twin axel trailer,1 ton empty, capacity 3.5 ton= 4.5 ton loaded. Leaf springs rated to 1.25 tons at least ?

ubs69 · 06-08-2014 4:21pm

That's some trailer you have 1 ton empty ! Try indespension they will give you the correct springs for it

sandydan · 21-08-2014 9:12pm

you don't say what you use towing or if towed offroad where no limit other than capacity is used in which case spring outside legal limit may be advisable, gravel weight and turf are almost tons apart
spring size will depend on shackle holding them,so that size is required as well.
gross weight is total weight of trailer loaded,
you should tell them that to avoid mix-up and avoid getting wrong springs as they usually go by fully loaded weight when estimating spring size any time i ordered springs anyway.
more leaves can be added if required but easier bought to weight requirement new than adding leaves later imo as longer centre centre bolts needed. hope that helps

O.A.P · 21-08-2014 11:40pm

sandydan wrote: »

you don't say what you use towing or if towed offroad where no limit other than capacity is used in which case spring outside legal limit may be advisable, gravel weight and turf are almost tons apart
spring size will depend on shackle holding them,so that size is required as well.
gross weight is total weight of trailer loaded,
you should tell them that to avoid mix-up and avoid getting wrong springs as they usually go by fully loaded weight when estimating spring size any time i ordered springs anyway.
more leaves can be added if required but easier bought to weight requirement new than adding leaves later imo as longer centre centre bolts needed. hope that helps

110 Landover defender td5 usually and 50 - 50 off road and on road. It has its work done this year until November when I start drawing in fire wood again so Im not in a panic yet.
I have sprayed all the nuts and bolts with a penetrating oil and left it parked up since , hope to start removing the springs next week then bringing one to a trailer garage and getting an up grade .
We will see how I get on
Thanks for the reply.

sandydan · 22-08-2014 2:28pm

O.A.P wrote: »

110 Landover defender td5 usually and 50 - 50 off road and on road. It has its work done this year until November when I start drawing in fire wood again so Im not in a panic yet.
I have sprayed all the nuts and bolts with a penetrating oil and left it parked up since , hope to start removing the springs next week then bringing one to a trailer garage and getting an up grade .
We will see how I get on
Thanks for the reply.

i may be wrong but id go for heavier rated spring than 1.25 ton
i used to depend on spray-on penetrating oil til a garage man told me clean threads with wire brush and soak either in waste oil, diesel or mix of both, he does loads of machinery repairs and recons spray on stuff either evaporates or loses it good in less than a week, i hate waste oil but use a little diesel added to clean oil & find it good ,if nuts really stubborn put light sledge one side of nut and carefully hit other side of nut with hammer,just might be useful tip, good luck

Trailer leaf spring??

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