mtbikernate wrote:I've been wanting to improve the handling of my trailer on gravel roads and have had this option on my radar. Never going to do any real off-roading with mine, but the bounce is irritating as hell on gravel forest roads. Have thought about installing shock absorbers, various helper springs, and so on. Wouldn't mind a couple inches of lift, as well, because that would help with clearances when pulling into rough sites.
I like that it wouldn't involve any welding to swap my trailer from leaf springs to timbrens. I think in the grand scheme, the costs of all the different options I'm looking at are fairly similar.
It'd be nice if one of the models would fit my existing hubs (and brakes).
* I looked at your Hiker trailer photo (on Flickr) to see what axle you have (I didn't see it named/sized in your posts); it appears to be a 3500 lb axle (it looks like it might be a Dexter, since the label looks like the one on mine, just guessing. I thought about using a Timbren axle-less assembly, when I replaced my original axle (too weak, too small, too rusted), but opted to custom re-make my own, with all new, better, leaf spring components that I bought separately (including reinforcing 1/4" angle iron, to beef-up the frame rails).
* I used a Dexter 3500 lb axle w/brakes, 3000 lb springs, new shackles, hangers, hardware, and made my own "active suspension bumpstop", to serve in place of shock absorbers, in lieu of using Sumo springs, air-ride bags, or Timbren's AEON springs.
Their "bumpstops" are marketed toward the tow vehicles, or for heavy trailers than mine; their marketing name was coined after I named mine, but I was unaware of it, anyhow. * The prime component that makes the Timbren suspension work so well is their AEON rubber springs, but I fabricated mine from Daystar progressive bumpstops (forJeeps?) Here are links to several threads here I'm pitching the benefits of using an active bumpstop if you already have a leaf spring suspension, and that (in the final thread), that the cost involved to make my custom install (not including the welder I had to buy to make it) was about the same as if I bought a complete Timbren axle-less assembly. But, I still like the easy access to replacement parts anywhere, that my leaf spring set-up allows.