Shocks and Springs VS Torsion Axle

[dh]

I'm still tossing around on a frame, I'm looking at either modifying the really cheap NT 5 X 8 trailer or building my own. I'm not really too concerned about ride height, so an axle flip should get me where I want to be, so with that benefit of the torsion axle put to rest, how does a spring and shock set up compare to a torsion axle set up?

[asianflava]

Leaf spring with shocks is more complex but it is better if you go offroad. It has move articulation than a torsion axle.

A torsion axle would be a simpler setup.

Adding shocks to a prebuilt trailer is a good way to conrol the bouncing.

[Gerdo]

Leaf spring with shocks is more complex but it is better if you go offroad. It has move articulation than a torsion axle.

A torsion axle would be a simpler setup.

Adding shocks to a prebuilt trailer is a good way to conrol the bouncing.

I have leafs on mine. Sorry to say, articulation only comes when an axle HAS to move independently from the vehicle. When you have a vehicle with two axles, like a Jeep, the axles have to articulate to keep the wheels on the ground. A TD doesn't have anything that would force the axle to articulate. Here is a video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rt9Jsb2H ... annel_page of one of the best off road trailers made. These have indipendent air suspension and they don't articulate much.

My TD was bouncing too much so I added shocks. They made a huge difference. Torsion axles naturaly dampen.

[Shadow Catcher]

A trailing arm suspension should be better off road, witness the front suspension on my old Baja Bug which was cut and rotated. Speaking of which, has any one made a torsion bar axle adjustable? And has any one put airbags (to adjust height) or air adjustable shocks.

[dwgriff1]

My tear has gone over some of the worst roads around. It was not designed to be off road, it just gets used that way sometimes.

Normally I have a 1" clearance between my wheels and the tear box, but I have wheel marks on both sides where the wheels were contorted by falling into a monster hole in the road.

The tear is light, and the axle is sprung for only 800#, which puts my loaded weight right near the maximum. It has worked flawlessly, however. Heavier rigs might not work so well, I don't know.

dave

[Arne]

I went with a torsion for a couple of reasons, one was lower ride height. I could not get it to match the van unless I flipped the spring axle and that gave me so little bounce clearance, I went torsion, as the springs bottomed out too often.

[aggie79]

A trailing arm suspension should be better off road, witness the front suspension on my old Baja Bug which was cut and rotated. Speaking of which, has any one made a torsion bar axle adjustable? And has any one put airbags (to adjust height) or air adjustable shocks.

On the the Flexiride torsion axle, the torsion arms are splined to allow changing the start angle.