suspension question...

[Wright]

Ok, so I've been searching and reading a lot lately and trying to keep my mouth shut here, until I have something of substance to add...

But in my research I have come across a slick little set up for an off road trailer... http://www.adventuretrailers.com/

As for the trailing arm with airbags, exactly how much of a plus over a shocked leafspring will I get for building one?

Running a compressor primarily for the trailer suspension seems a waste of resources, (I don't use one now.) would a trailing arm with coil springs be an acceptable alternate?

Am I just way out in left field, and just stick with the leafspring suspension? I don't think I'm gonna run Moab with my tear like these guys did... but it will see dirt.

Now for my normal type question... what do you think of one of those rooftop tents on top of a tear to banish the kids to???

[Miriam C.]

Haven't seen a tear-top tent but if planned for it might be a great idea.

[Steve F]

Trailing arms with coils would be a much better setup than leaf springs but introduces more complexity and potentially more weight. They do flex better though but will also need shock absorbers where a leaf pack doesn't have to have them if it has a rebound leaf on the top.

I thought about doing trailing arms for my offroad trailer but it seemed like a lot of expense or a lot of fabrication for minimal gain.

If you go with airbags you wouldn't need to run a compressor, they are a set and forget type thing, inflate for the load you are carrying and leave it like that until the next time and change if the load requires it.

Cheers
Steve

[pendleton]

As stated above, the trailing arm setup is alot of extra work. Not only would you need shocks, but depending on the specific suspension design, you would need a trackbar and upper and lower spring (air bag) perches as well. All of these arms and bars have to connect to the axle and trailer by brackets, which is alot of work to place and center all of them.

The leaf spring design is very popular because of the strength and simplicity. You only have one mounting location on the axle, and two for the trailer. That is it. With a trailing arm suspension, I count up to 14 connection locations (4 upper control arm brackets, 4 lower control arm brackets, 2 trackbar brackets, 4 spring/bag perches) and this doesn't included the ones for shocks!

[Cruiser]

Dirt roads or trails? If your only seeing the dirt roads go with the leaf spring, easier and cheaper,, also if your counting its two brackets each side,, plus shocks, if your off-roading shocks are a real plus. The trailing arms add some weight but not much, add more complexity, yes,, if your rock crawing thru moab it makes it worth it. Track bars are not needed if going with two independent arms like AT trailers, but some that still use a solid axle do.. They sell these in a kit form for converting the old military m416 trailers from leafs, $$ but if your really beating it off road could be worth it..
Steve

[Wright]

Thanks for all the input guys, I really appreciate the info you gave. Like I said I don't foresee myself doing a lot (if any ) but sticking mostly to trails and unimproved roads. I believe I'll stick with a shocked leafspring set up.

once again thank you all for your responses, you guys & Gals are great!

and Auntie M, as soon as I get it built, I'll send you a pic with a Rooftop tent on my tear/cricket/weekender hybrid thingamabob trailer...

[Steve F]

As stated above, the trailing arm setup is alot of extra work. Not only would you need shocks, but depending on the specific suspension design, you would need a trackbar and upper and lower spring (air bag) perches as well. All of these arms and bars have to connect to the axle and trailer by brackets, which is alot of work to place and center all of them.

The leaf spring design is very popular because of the strength and simplicity. You only have one mounting location on the axle, and two for the trailer. That is it. With a trailing arm suspension, I count up to 14 connection locations (4 upper control arm brackets, 4 lower control arm brackets, 2 trackbar brackets, 4 spring/bag perches) and this doesn't included the ones for shocks!

I'd just run a single 'A' arm for each wheel with a stub axle on the ends. So two 'A' arm mounts each side, an upper and lower spring perch and an upper and lower shock mount. Not quite sure why the trackbar would need to be used with the 'A' arm setup (I'm assuming that's where the 4 upper control arm brackets you got came from )

Basically the same as these



This would be more like a homemade job, no curves


Cheers
Steve

[Podunkfla]

Another idea is just use the rear independent suspension from
something like a Geo Metro or Honda... Lots of small front wheel
drive cars have nice rear suspension you can get cheap at the local junk yard:


Chevy Geo, for example

Why build it from scratch when it's available cheap?