Tractor Supply Axles

[dmckruit]

I took a field trip to Tractor Supply this morning to look for trailer accessories while I am awaiting my quote from the welder to build a 5 x 8 frame for my Benroy/Lil'Diner hybrid.

I was surprised to find 15" trailer wheels (with tires) for $109 each and axles with the 5 lugs to match for $119. The axle is rated at 2000 capacity. My question for the group is if I were to go with this setup will I have problems with bounce? Should I go with lower capacity rated springs to compensate for the rigidity of the axle?

This is my first build and I want to do it right. I was just wondering if anyone else has any experience working with these axles.

[Dale M.]

It's probably ok.... IF you look, springs are probably 4 leaves.... IF you want softer ride, just remove 1 or two leaves. Each leave pair (both sides) are probably good for 500lbs...

Dale

[2bits]

The axle is almost surely leaf springs and you can remove one leaf (the smallest one) to "de-rate" and more if you like until you are comfortable with the ride depending on how many springs are there. My 71 Nova had only had one leaf spring in the rear, obviously a different spring, but you get the point.

[brian_bp]

The axle is almost surely leaf springs and you can remove one leaf (the smallest one) to "de-rate" and more if you like until you are comfortable with the ride depending on how many springs are there. My 71 Nova had only had one leaf spring in the rear, obviously a different spring, but you get the point.

I agree, but one note...

A suspension has some source of damping, to absorb the energy of oscillations (bouncing over bumps) and dissipate it to stop the bouncing. Any competent suspension uses something like a hydraulic cylinder with valving, which we call a shock absorber. Rubber-sprung trailer suspensions usually depend on the rubber itself absorbing energy (a characteristic called hysteresis), although better trailers (including all Airstreams for a few decades) still use separate shocks as well. Steel makes a great spring, with minimal hysteresis, so steel leaf springs need something more; I added shocks to my trailer, like every leaf-spring car and light truck out there, but most trailers still depend on friction between the leaves of the spring pack.

If you remove leaves, you remove damping. This may be okay - or maybe not - but at one leaf you definitely some other source of damping. In the Nova, that was shock absorbers; with the really cheap trailers that have single leaf springs, it's normally the a slipper setup so the sliding end's friction is used. I would consider adding shocks to any trailer suspension, but especially one in which I removed leaves.

By the way, single-leaf suspensions are becoming more common on commercial/motorhome chassis... and yes, they have shocks.

[2bits]

Absolutely, I would never use a leaf spring suspension without shocks, that is a given to me. The torsion arm axles can go either way, but not leaf. Ever broken a shock in your car? The thing never stops bouncing!

[Lgboro]

A shock will help with the bouncing. There is a thread or two about adding shocks to leaf spring axles. Heres how I did mine.....



ps. this is on a Tractor Supply Trailer that uses the same axles they sell.