Adding Suspension - Ideas???

[Nor'East Coaster]

Had an 8x5 built by a welder 'out the bay' for our teardrop - he did a fine job, BUT...

I, thru ignorance, didn't specify suspension - since he builds utility trailers for general knockaround use, he did a straight axle, welded directly to the frame. Nice solid job, for sure, but it spent a lot of time well-airborne when we hauled the trailer and deck back home - gotta say it does discourage tailgaters...

A bit of research here tells me not to even think about mounting a cabin on the trailer until there's a suspension under it...

SO...what to do??? My expertise is strictly above the deck - woodworking and kayak building - I'm facing a very considerable learning curve re suspension. I do have a friend who has a friend who welds and has built trailers. I need, however, to be able to give him some basic idea of what's going to be required before he can advise me on what to do. Any very basic advice/specs/links would be very much appreciated...

Gonna take a little while to live this one down....
Regards,
Richard

[Trackstriper]

Richard,

Stuff like that happens once in a while. Fortunately it's not a huge mistake in the bigger picture of life.

Probably the first step would be to post some pictures of your trailer frame so that folks could look at what you've got.

Bruce

[doug hodder]

I'd say...#1, you gotta get the axle off the frame. Cut or grind the welds, clean/grind off the rest of the welds on the frame and axle, hard to say what might be the best approach without some pics.

Once it's off, you have a couple of options. You can get a new torsion axle to replace it and bolt it up to the frame in the existing axles location, or get a set of springs and hangers, weld them on and use the existing axle. You can pick up springs and hangers at most any farm/ranch/tractor/trailer supply house. The latter option will have your trailer sitting higher than it is now. You can mount the axle to the top or bottom of the springs for some height changes to suit your needs. I'd do the springs...but I build with them all my trailers. Someone may suggest just lowering the pressure in the tires...but I wouldn't...just me...Others opinions may vary. Doug

[madjack]

..marshmallow...alotta VERY LARGE marshmallows ......or, just do as Doug suggests.............

[Wimperdink]

while swapping out the axle for something with suspension is more than definitly the way to go, I've got a 6 x 8 utility trailer that was purchased 20 years ago that used to be a dual snowmobile trailer. Now it would only fit one. Those were skinny snowmobiles.... To the point, The axle is welded solid and its been from North Dakota to virginia then to california and back. I adjust the tire pressure depending on the load. When its empty I set them at 18 lbs.... when it has a good load on it, I'll put them back up to a normal pressure. It follows with hardly a bounce at all and stays right on track everywhere its towed to.

I would probably be more inclined to slap a larger tire on it, adjust the pressures to what the final weight is,and at least try it before going through all the trouble to swap axles.

On the flip side, it will be much easier to adapt now, then when you already have the box built on it.

So now I've lead you full circle and your back to where you started.