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#1
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Trailer/wheel question - How Spring works? (photos included)
Would someone tell me how the spring being installed on my trailer? As you
can see in the photos I took, the spring actually is not fastern by the screw, non does it being held by any metal. How does it Unless it has been welded to the frame?? How does it work? http://members.rogers.com/londonboy/...g/P0002886.jpg http://members.rogers.com/londonboy/...g/P0002889.jpg http://members.rogers.com/londonboy/...g/P0002888.jpg N.S. |
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#2
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Trailer/wheel question - How Spring works? (photos included)
"No Spam" wrote in message ble.rogers.com... Would someone tell me how the spring being installed on my trailer? As you can see in the photos I took, the spring actually is not fastern by the screw, non does it being held by any metal. How does it Unless it has been welded to the frame?? How does it work? http://members.rogers.com/londonboy/...g/P0002886.jpg http://members.rogers.com/londonboy/...g/P0002889.jpg http://members.rogers.com/londonboy/...g/P0002888.jpg N.S. It sounds like you may be worried that it is broken. Rest your mind, this is how it is supposed to be; your spring looks good as far as you show in the photos; I assume that the "other" end is held captive in some way. The arc of the spring pushes the end of the spring up against the trailer frame. Have someone push down on the boat while you watch. See how the end of the spring pushes UP against the trailer, with the middle of the spring clamped to the axle? The axle actually moves a little fore and aft as the trailer moves up and down; the end in your photographs has to be free because it allows the axle and spring the freedom to move fore and aft when the trailer bounces up and down. If it did not have this freedom to move, the spring would break off next to the mounting bolts in a short time. If both ends of the spring end in an "eye" around a bolt, a link called a shackle must be added to allow this necessary fore-aft movement. Welding a spring is never a good idea. The high heat of welding ruins the metal for use as a spring. The edge of the weld is much too brittle for a flexible spring; in a short time it would break right at the edge of the joint. Mark Browne |
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#3
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Trailer/wheel question - How Spring works? (photos included)
Thanks a lot... That was really helpful. Everytime I post a message here, I learn something. Thanks again. "Mark Browne" wrote in message news:slU5b.356193$o%2.162943@sccrnsc02... "No Spam" wrote in message ble.rogers.com... Would someone tell me how the spring being installed on my trailer? As you can see in the photos I took, the spring actually is not fastern by the screw, non does it being held by any metal. How does it Unless it has been welded to the frame?? How does it work? http://members.rogers.com/londonboy/...g/P0002886.jpg http://members.rogers.com/londonboy/...g/P0002889.jpg http://members.rogers.com/londonboy/...g/P0002888.jpg N.S. It sounds like you may be worried that it is broken. Rest your mind, this is how it is supposed to be; your spring looks good as far as you show in the photos; I assume that the "other" end is held captive in some way. The arc of the spring pushes the end of the spring up against the trailer frame. Have someone push down on the boat while you watch. See how the end of the spring pushes UP against the trailer, with the middle of the spring clamped to the axle? The axle actually moves a little fore and aft as the trailer moves up and down; the end in your photographs has to be free because it allows the axle and spring the freedom to move fore and aft when the trailer bounces up and down. If it did not have this freedom to move, the spring would break off next to the mounting bolts in a short time. If both ends of the spring end in an "eye" around a bolt, a link called a shackle must be added to allow this necessary fore-aft movement. Welding a spring is never a good idea. The high heat of welding ruins the metal for use as a spring. The edge of the weld is much too brittle for a flexible spring; in a short time it would break right at the edge of the joint. Mark Browne |
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#4
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Trailer/wheel question - How Spring works? (photos included)
"No Spam" wrote in message able.rogers.com...
Would someone tell me how the spring being installed on my trailer? As you can see in the photos I took, the spring actually is not fastern by the screw, non does it being held by any metal. How does it Unless it has been welded to the frame?? How does it work? http://members.rogers.com/londonboy/...g/P0002886.jpg http://members.rogers.com/londonboy/...g/P0002889.jpg http://members.rogers.com/londonboy/...g/P0002888.jpg N.S. That is commonly called a slip spring, and is not welded to the frame. The other end of the spring should be restrained, usually with an eye in the spring with a bolt through it. The spring, when weight is applied, simply pushes on the frame of the trailer. The bolt simply keeps it in the shackle to keep it from twisting. |
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#5
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Trailer/wheel question - How Spring works? (photos included)
Interesting. So as the spring compresses it becomes longer and its length is
evenly taken up by sliding slightly further into/through the gaps above the retaining bolts. Looks very simple and effective. Would that be an area where he could add a little grease? It looks like a metal/metal contact area. "Mark Browne" wrote in message news:slU5b.356193$o%2.162943@sccrnsc02... "No Spam" wrote in message ble.rogers.com... Would someone tell me how the spring being installed on my trailer? As you can see in the photos I took, the spring actually is not fastern by the screw, non does it being held by any metal. How does it Unless it has been welded to the frame?? How does it work? http://members.rogers.com/londonboy/...g/P0002886.jpg http://members.rogers.com/londonboy/...g/P0002889.jpg http://members.rogers.com/londonboy/...g/P0002888.jpg N.S. It sounds like you may be worried that it is broken. Rest your mind, this is how it is supposed to be; your spring looks good as far as you show in the photos; I assume that the "other" end is held captive in some way. The arc of the spring pushes the end of the spring up against the trailer frame. Have someone push down on the boat while you watch. See how the end of the spring pushes UP against the trailer, with the middle of the spring clamped to the axle? The axle actually moves a little fore and aft as the trailer moves up and down; the end in your photographs has to be free because it allows the axle and spring the freedom to move fore and aft when the trailer bounces up and down. If it did not have this freedom to move, the spring would break off next to the mounting bolts in a short time. If both ends of the spring end in an "eye" around a bolt, a link called a shackle must be added to allow this necessary fore-aft movement. Welding a spring is never a good idea. The high heat of welding ruins the metal for use as a spring. The edge of the weld is much too brittle for a flexible spring; in a short time it would break right at the edge of the joint. Mark Browne |
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#6
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Trailer/wheel question - How Spring works? (photos included)
Paul has a good point in previous posting. Since that's metal to metal
contact, do you think adding grease is necessary? "basskisser" wrote in message m... "No Spam" wrote in message able.rogers.com... Would someone tell me how the spring being installed on my trailer? As you can see in the photos I took, the spring actually is not fastern by the screw, non does it being held by any metal. How does it Unless it has been welded to the frame?? How does it work? http://members.rogers.com/londonboy/...g/P0002886.jpg http://members.rogers.com/londonboy/...g/P0002889.jpg http://members.rogers.com/londonboy/...g/P0002888.jpg N.S. That is commonly called a slip spring, and is not welded to the frame. The other end of the spring should be restrained, usually with an eye in the spring with a bolt through it. The spring, when weight is applied, simply pushes on the frame of the trailer. The bolt simply keeps it in the shackle to keep it from twisting. |
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#7
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Trailer/wheel question - How Spring works? (photos included)
"Paul" wrote in message able.rogers.com... Interesting. So as the spring compresses it becomes longer and its length is evenly taken up by sliding slightly further into/through the gaps above the retaining bolts. Looks very simple and effective. Would that be an area where he could add a little grease? It looks like a metal/metal contact area. snip Multi-leaf springs have been allowed to rub on each other to act as a motion dampers for many decades now; it acts as a natural shock absorber. It does not seem to shorten the lifetime in these applications. If you look around at the ramp at some older trailers, you may notice that this does not seem to be much of a problem. I would not worry about it. Applying grease to a friction surface is not the "no brainer" that you might expect. The grease tends to trap sand; this sand can be very destructive. There are a number of good dry film lubricants that might work well here, but I have not tested them in this application, so my opinion does not carry much authority here. Mark Browne |
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#8
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Trailer/wheel question - How Spring works? (photos included)
"R3ALLY NEWBIE" wrote in message le.rogers.com... Paul has a good point in previous posting. Since that's metal to metal contact, do you think adding grease is necessary? No grease, it catches dirt as previously mentioned. The only thing I've ever done is give it a shot with WD40 when the squeaking gets on my nerves.  -- "Stay calm. Be brave. Wait for the signs." regards, Frank Johansen Aurora, Ontario |
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#9
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Trailer/wheel question - How Spring works? (photos included)
Some newer rigs use a nylon pad, many use this pad between leaves. Its only
purpose is to stop the squeaks so often associated with old boat trailers. As mentioned, grease will age the springs faster then nothing, sand is harder then the spring steel and will grind it down. If squeaking is an issue, use graphite powder or any other dry lube, do not use oils or greases as they will trap and hold dust and grits.. Greg Moore "Buck Frobisher" wrote in message . .. "R3ALLY NEWBIE" wrote in message le.rogers.com... Paul has a good point in previous posting. Since that's metal to metal contact, do you think adding grease is necessary? No grease, it catches dirt as previously mentioned. The only thing I've ever done is give it a shot with WD40 when the squeaking gets on my nerves. -- "Stay calm. Be brave. Wait for the signs." regards, Frank Johansen Aurora, Ontario |
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