Wore out springs!!!

Sorry this is not a post about a honey moon in Hot Springs Arkansas but the continuing saga about my trailer I am redoing. We got the gooseneck hitch all rebuilt and turned it around so I could work on the other end. My shop is 42 ft. long and the trailer in 22 + the hitch so space is at a premium. I attached a splitting stand I built to split a 5010 Deere to the jack so we could roll it in-worked. Raised the trailer up so I could work under it and got the 2 back shackle hangers off and welded 4 more on so I could put the third axle under it. Tacked it--measured it 20 times-mocked it up and finally welded it in place. put the third axle under and figured where the fenders had to be. I bought another set of tandem axle fenders and cut the end off and welded them together. So far so good. Lots of figuring. We watch the Velocity channel on satellite and there are a lot of classic car restoring shows on it. They always start out that it is going to be a "easy" restoration but always run into a lot of problems. I know the feeling. Bought new bushings and bolt for the springs--not bad plastic bushings $1 a piece--bolts $2.50 a piece--new brake drums and--brake shoes-$78 a piece. But now I have a ? for you good people--How do you tell if the springs are wore out. They are not broken, but they don't quite match the new ones that came with the new axle. They are 1750# springs and I can buy new ones for $19 a piece, or new 2000# ones for $17.50 a piece. I am leaning to the heavier ones. Enough for now. THANKS----Tee

Those springs look flattened to me, for the cost and what you have into it I would go all the way. You are going to have enough alignment issues with tjis setup without agravating it with sprung springs. Those bolts don't look like suspension bolts to me, where did you get them? If they are not propper bolts you will need to weld them in or expect trouble soon.

My local spring shop can test the springs in a press. I'm not sure how you could do it at home (measure deflection &press pressure). The new spring has a different spring profile than the old. I can say your new springs are cheaper than what I could get the springs made for, so I would use all new springs if the new units are good quality.

If the rest of the axles, tires, axle, bearings, etc are not rated at 4000# per axle do you gain by going with 2000# springs? It will just ride harder. And you are adding an axle for another 3500# capacity anyway. If you need all this capacity maybe you need heavier axles and springs, etc.

Good eyes--those are just 1/2 in. bolts out of my bolt bins I used for mock-up. The real ones are the 9/16 special ones. What does ttis mean? Thanks---Tee

Fat finger syndrome, should be THIS.

I would replace them all with the heavier ones. It may ride a little rougher but your less likely to break a spring going over uneven roads/drives.

With all the working your doing to this will you be better off than just buying one already like your going to have???

The reason I asked is the last time I needed to totally redo my bumper hitch trailer. I found out that selling mine like it was and adding the money I would have had in repairs was within a few hundred of a new trailer.

I always try to tell folks that, but they rarely listen. I've been asked many times to re-do a trailer and it always comes out cheaper, and usually better, to just sell what you have and start over. In this case if he puts no value on his labor he might save some, but this trailer will also be poorer too. Even if he had put brakes on all the axles he would be short on brakes with those axles, but with one or more axles not having brakes he is seriously short on braking. I sincerely hope that noone gets hurt or killed because of that. Hopefully he has a good plan to beef up the frame in the suspension area too or he may end up with problems there down the line as well. My offer to help with these issues stands if he is interested.

Angle iron frame won't hold the capacity of the 3 sets of springs. But maybe only gonna have 6000 pound load.

It can if it's done right. As is I'm not sure.

We don't see many steel trailers , near all are aluminum . All bumper or 5th wheel, or goose neck trailers have to be certified each year once they get that big. And the steel trailers ,if used in the winter , just rot away , and won't pass safety inspection.

Again I am with JD Seller. You would have been much better off just selling and buying a three axel. I can.t believe you three axels will be balanced where they should be by just adding one. Works looks good but sure would have been easier to sell and buy. Another hundred dollars is worth it since you have gone so far change the other four springs.

Looking at the picture it looks like you have it about done and done well. No reason to back up and start over. I always choose heaver but adding an axle makes it heaver without using heaver springs.

On the opinion side when I was pulling tractors, the pullers with three axle trailers were the ones pulling in with a tire scrubbed off the rim on the third axle.

Stopped at the place in town where I bought my Big Tex flatbed and I told him what I was doing-He said for what I was going to use it for-no problem. If I was a contractor and had hired help it would be a accident waiting to happen. He said once you have a triple axle you will never like your tandem axle again, said they pull straighter an don't have the sway. Common sense will go a long ways.---Tee

I agree with that. Heavy loads was the third axle problem. My moto was always not to force something, get a bigger hammer. On my trailers I didn't adhere to that moto. If I could fit it on, load it if the tires will hold it. Takes to much time to go after a different trailer. ^D Hold the rocks, said in humor!

I have no doubt that you have the skill to control a 10k trailer, and agree that a little common sense is a good thing. The problem with your theory is that it's not YOUR common sense that is the issue, but the common sense of all the others on the road. When a car load of teenagers is not paying attention and pulls out in front of you and you can't stop because you saved a few bucks on brakes will you then be able to live with it?

Wow! Do you mind telling us where you can get 2000# springs for 17.50? Or am I just misreading what you're saying?

No problem--E Trailer. Free shipping on orders over $100 so I splurged and bought 4 springs and a new plug with cord, came to $100.39.------Tee

Sorry. my memories getting bad--They were $18.09 x 4= $73.36 = $27.95 for the cord = $100.31---Tee