Broken leaf spring

[Fishingtomatoseed]

I had posted this in our trip in the south central section. But wanted to put it here just to give anyone else looking at trailer stuff a warning.

We finally made it. A one hour trip turned into a 5 hour trip.

Leaf spring decided to break. This would be a warning to people using old springs that they salvage from using and old trailer.

Had an extra one at the house so we left the trailer in bar ditch and headed home.

It's fun doing repairs on the side of the road on the dirt.

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1360285515.917466.jpg (70.34 KiB) Viewed 1386 times

You can see rust where it has been cracked for a while. Never noticed it during the build. So I don't know when it happen and it is stored inside. So I guess it has been there for a while.

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1360285542.424701.jpg (75.18 KiB) Viewed 1386 times

[Fishingtomatoseed]

How would you be able to find a crack in a spring? Magnet and metal dust? Just the sound of it when it rings?
I read through the leaf spring rebuild in this section. I believe I will be doing that to this trailer before another trip.

[Kody]

How would you be able to find a crack in a spring? Magnet and metal dust? Just the sound of it when it rings?
I read through the leaf spring rebuild in this section. I believe I will be doing that to this trailer before another trip.

It's easy to find a hidden crack in a spring or weld. The time honored method is to use dye penetrant. This comes in a two pack kit. One can is a spray that you apply over the area that you want to test. It is sprayed on and left for a minute or so, then you carefully wipe it off. The second can (a white powder substance) is then sprayed over the area and the dye in the crack is sucked out by the powder stuff. The dye is a red crimson colour and instantly reveals where the crack is and how long it is. I used this stuff at the uni where I worked as a technician, it is testing by the "non-destructive" process. You should be able to buy the kit, it's not that expensive, from any good machine tool outlet. If a fatigue crack has developed, this is quickest way to find it. You must clean off all the dirt and crud before using on the test area.

If both springs came from the same source, the other one should also be replaced when you get home to prevent this scenario happening again.

Kody

[Shadow Catcher]

Using penetrant is easy to do and obtainable at many/most weld supply places. The process harkens back to the steam era and the 'oil and whiting' method. The part was cleaned and kerosene sprayed on, the surface is cleaned and talcum powder sprayed/sprinkled on, capillary action draws the kerosene up and into the talc. The materials to day are dyed either with a visitable dye, red or fluorescent dye requiring a black light. The key is that the part MUST BE CLEAN or it blocks the dye penetrating into the discontinuity.
For ferrous material magnetic particle testing is the best option and is less likely to be affected by dirt, rust, oil, paint that can block penetration of the crack/discontinuity. If you decide to use penetrant I can send you a procedure.

[doug hodder]

Old springs can potentially always be an issue. Who knows just how they've been treated all their lives? Even if not cracked...they may have been overloaded at some point and weakened. If it's not something unusual...why not just get a new pair from the get go? That way, at least you know what you have to begin with. The time and money spent on the side of the road clowning around with a broken spring if you can't limp home far outweighs the price of a new pair. God forbid if you have to have it towed. Just my opinion, but new springs are cheap insurance. doug

[Fishingtomatoseed]

Old springs can potentially always be an issue. Who knows just how they've been treated all their lives? Even if not cracked...they may have been overloaded at some point and weakened. If it's not something unusual...why not just get a new pair from the get go? That way, at least you know what you have to begin with. The time and money spent on the side of the road clowning around with a broken spring if you can't limp home far outweighs the price of a new pair. God forbid if you have to have it towed. Just my opinion, but new springs are cheap insurance. doug

I agree Doug. Head out to the shop now to get the trailer up on jack stands and everything out from underneath. I am going to order new springs and then do the " up grade " to them that is a sticky on this page.

[48Rob]

I am going to order new springs and then do the " up grade " to them that is a sticky on this page.

Clint,

Good choice!
I think you'll be very happy with how much nicer your trailer handles/rides after the upgrade.

It is important, and easy to do now, since you are replacing the springs, to order the new set to be matched to your trailers actual weight.
Many home made camping trailers are much lighter than the load the springs were originally intended to carry as a cargo trailer.
Figuring your actual fully loaded weight, and adding 500 pounds or a little more, will give you a ride, and handling that rival that of a luxury car.

The cleanest, most well lubricated spring sets, if over rated by too much, will still have your trailer riding like a heavy duty (empty) dump truck.

Rob

[Fishingtomatoseed]

I am going to order new springs and then do the " up grade " to them that is a sticky on this page.

It is important, and easy to do now, since you are replacing the springs, to order the new set to be matched to your trailers actual weight.
Many home made camping trailers are much lighter than the load the springs were originally intended to carry as a cargo trailer.
Figuring your actual fully loaded weight, and adding 500 pounds or a little more, will give you a ride, and handling that rival that of a luxury car.

Rob

Rob,
Do you think the trailer will ride lower with less rated springs. Since the fenders where installed with stiffer spring. Or is their ways around fixing that? I was worried about the tire hitting the fenders.

[Shadow Catcher]

The spring arch and spring rate/weight carrying are two separate aspects. You can keep the same wheel height with less bounce

[48Rob]

Clint,

Yes it can lower the ride, but generally, if you de-rate the springs by removing a leaf, it will only lower it by the thickness of that leaf; about a 1/4".
Once you remove a leaf, in theory the trailers weight can flex the springs further, but since you removed a leaf because the trailer was way too light for the spring pack, it shouldn't change any existing clearances over and above the 1/4" thickness of the leaf.

If you have fender clearance issues, regardless of removing a leaf, it can easily be corrected by installing a slightly longer set of shackles, about a $15.00 expense, and easy to do, since you're going to remove them anyway to change the springs and check for wear.
For every inch desired in increased height, you need a shackle that is two inches taller.

Rob

[Fishingtomatoseed]

All right took the advise and went and weighed the trailer today. But before I get into that a little history about the trailer.
It was a tandem axle boat trailer. The tag on the trailer has this wrote on it.
G.V.W.R 4500
G.A.W.R Front 2250
G.A.W.R Rear 2250
So I am assuming that the axles are 3,000 lb axle but could be wrong. So I only used one axle. I am going to contact the company tomorrow to see if they have any info on it.
So on to the weight of the trailer ........1880lbs. With a tongue weight of 200lbs. That is everything loaded except for clothes and food.
Hope that is good anyone have any thoughts or comments?

[48Rob]

Hi Clint,

G.A.W.R.= gross axle weight rating.

G.V.W.R.= gross vehicle weight rating.

Your original dual axle trailer was rated at 4500 pounds.
Each axle was rated at 2250 pounds.
Added together in the dual axle configuration, they were rated to support the 4500 pounds of the completed trailer.

If your new trailer you built weighs 1880 pounds, and you haven't included the weight of food and clothes, I'd say you have overloaded the single axle and that is likely why the spring broke.

I can only guess, but 200-500 pounds is what the total of food, water, clothing, and "extras" that most people bring along end up weighing.
Even though that total may not exceed the axles weight rating, it doesn't leave enough cushion.
Also, it is difficult to do (if one even considers it) but since each spring pack is rated at 1/2 the total of the axle (in your case 1125 pounds) most don't determine how weight is distributed from side to side, which can lead to overloading one of the spring packs.

For example, cornering can transfer a lot of weight from one side of the trailer to the other, overloading a spring pack.
Hitting a pothole, or series of bumps can also put more weight on an axle/spring pack than it can handle, if already at or near the limit.

Since your weight when fully loaded will be at or near 2200 pounds, I'd suggest buying a new axle, and springs rated at 3500 pounds.
If you can't afford both, at least switch out the spring packs to 1750 pound spring packs (1750 each x 2=3500).
The axle is unlikely to break given the numbers you have shared, but could at some point bend if subjected to enough shock.
With new spring packs rated at 1750 pounds each, you won't need to de-rate them.
Beveling the ends and greasing them though, will sure make them ride/operate better.

Not sure if you have brakes on the axle, but if not, it is easy and inexpensive to do it with an axle switch.

The tongue weight, while reasonable, is something I'd play with (adjust) to see if more stability can be gained by increasing it by 20-40 pounds.

Good luck!

Rob

[KCStudly]

I wouldn't just assume that the axle beam itself is only rated at 2250#. That number could be based on the weakest "link in the chain" and not just the axle beam.

Any GAWR is going to be based on the weakest component in the axle system, or even could be limited by the frames ability to transfer these loads. GAWR is specific to the vehicle as a system and may not reflect the design rating of the components that make up your suspension.

I would look for the markings on the tires (especially if they are original to the trailer), the load ratings that should be stamped (or cast) into the wheels, and any stampings or tags that may be on the axle itself. Any one of these things, or the springs, could have been the determining factor for how your trailer was originally rated. May even have been de-rated for something as simple as keeping it under a certain limit where registration and/or boat size would put it into a different DOT/price/tax/whatever category, and may not have had anything to do with how the components were designed. Just saying, maybe.

When I got my boat from an out of state purchase, it was clearly a factory produced trailer, but there was no VIN tag or stampings, no weight rating info, and had been registered in RI as a home built (for expediency in that state). When I had it inspected here, the officer looked at the tire sidewall rating, doubled it, and that is what my GAWR is now stated as. (Emphasis on period.) I asked him what if I change tires (it had mismatched car tires and I wanted to upgrade to trailer rated tires), and he said this is going to be my GAWR (period).

Just my thoughts. 2250 may or may not be the true axle beam design rating. It is certainly not less.

[48Rob]

KC,

Your thoughts are valid.

If Clint wants to know without a doubt, contacting the manufacturer is the most fail safe method if locating the rating on the axle itself is not possible.

If that doesn't work, here is a link with information to use to measure the spindle to determine capacity, as well as tubing style/shape.

http://www.etrailer.com/dept-pg-Trailer_Spindles.aspx

I've always understood the non galvanized square tube axles to be less robust than round tube axles, and thus are usually rated to carry less weight.

Rob

[Fishingtomatoseed]

Thank you Rob and KC for the input. The manufacture could not give me any information. They said it was the year that they transitioned from California to Texas and do not have anything on it. And I guess he could not go by what info that I had. So I will look at the spindle size and and tubing. I believe the tubing is 2" square by 1/4". Thank you Rob for the trailer link. I have been looking their for replacement parts. Thank you again for y'all's help.