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So, with my latest purchase of my used, enclosed trailer, I've got a lot of work to do. I have already been working on it a bunch and was amazed how worn out the suspension was. So I figured I would share. This first picture is before I fix the suspension but I'm posting it so you can see what the trailer looks like.
I do believe these equalizers are worn out! The leaf springs were riding on the frame! The previous owner was complaining that it rode too low and bottomed out on hills all the time. You'll see how it is now in the next pictures!
And here's after! It's like 4 in taller! LOL
Leaf springs riding on frame, this is before I redid the suspension.
I repair semi trailers for a living. Camper equalizers and shackles along with enclosed trailer ones are junk and don't last no time if it gets used regularly. They have plastic "bushings" if you even want to call them that in them. There is a upgradeyou can do called a wet bolt kit. It's comes with brass or bronze bushings and the bolts has grease fitting in them to keep them greases. Also the shackles which wear through are twice as thick on them. I'll post a Amazon link to some. They are a pretty good upgrade.
MORryde UO12-016 Heavy Duty Shackle Upgrade Kit, CRE3000 / Stock / Equaflex 2.25" Shackles - Tandem Axle https://a.co/d/fqXjK7P
Tpayne621 has given you some great advice on the bronze bushings and wet bolt kit. I installed a similar kit on our 5th wheel last spring before taking it to ID and back. I inspected the plastic bushings and they were shot and some were worn completely through. ArmyLifer had recently completed the same upgrade on his travel trailer and offered to come up and give me a hand. We saw it as an opportunity to BS and get a bit of work done and everything went well.
I also installed the X-factor from MORryde in order to strengthen or stabilize the spring supports/hangers when turning the dual axle trailer. I don't know if your trailer has a similar setup to a camper trailer regarding the spring hangers, but if it does you may be able to get your dad to weld in a couple of pieces of steel and accomplish the same stabilization. This is a very common modification or upgrade and is all over trailer forums and YouTube. Some manufacturers have started to weld in angled supports in the spots that were failing.
I repair semi trailers for a living. Camper equalizers and shackles along with enclosed trailer ones are junk and don't last no time if it gets used regularly. They have plastic "bushings" if you even want to call them that in them. There is a upgradeyou can do called a wet bolt kit. It's comes with brass or bronze bushings and the bolts has grease fitting in them to keep them greases. Also the shackles which wear through are twice as thick on them. I'll post a Amazon link to some. They are a pretty good upgrade.
MORryde UO12-016 Heavy Duty Shackle Upgrade Kit, CRE3000 / Stock / Equaflex 2.25" Shackles - Tandem Axle https://a.co/d/fqXjK7P
I had heard about him but I wasn't sure if they were any good. I'm going to get me a set! Thanks!
Tpayne621 has given you some great advice on the bronze bushings and wet bolt kit. I installed a similar kit on our 5th wheel last spring before taking it to ID and back. I inspected the plastic bushings and they were shot and some were worn completely through. ArmyLifer had recently completed the same upgrade on his travel trailer and offered to come up and give me a hand. We saw it as an opportunity to BS and get a bit of work done and everything went well.
I also installed the X-factor from MORryde in order to strengthen or stabilize the spring supports/hangers when turning the dual axle trailer. I don't know if your trailer has a similar setup to a camper trailer regarding the spring hangers, but if it does you may be able to get your dad to weld in a couple of pieces of steel and accomplish the same stabilization. This is a very common modification or upgrade and is all over trailer forums and YouTube. Some manufacturers have started to weld in angled supports in the spots that were failing.
I can post a picture of my suspension later this afternoon. I tried to look up what the x Factor from MORyde was but all I could find was a cross member that connected to sides together. From driver side to passenger side. Is this what you were talking about?
Yes, but I went that route as I am not a welder. I'm not even a grinder... Although, since your father is a master welder, you can weld in steel reinforcements between the leaf spring hangers.
The video below does a pretty good job of explaining the work required.
I don’t know that much about small trailer running gear other than that they are often way overloaded especially in enclosed cargo trailer applications and probably on flatbeds too. These trailers tend to get drug around more miles at heavier weights than a set of light duty axles under a camper will usually see. I have heard torsion axles are better than spring rides in light duty stuff up to like 10k axles.
With that type of wear its a good idea to inspect the frame with a fine tooth comb, specifically where the tongue ties into the main frame. Might have some cracks depending on how it was loaded over the years.
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