Recommendation for Increasing Axle to Trailer Frame Clearance

Question

Question:

Hello I was reading up on your tech articles for the distance of mounting locations for leaf springs. I recently purchased a custom-made car trailer and have recently noticed that the back leafspring u-bolts are way too close to the frame. The place that I purchased the trailer from is too far away, so Im planning on having a local shop make some alterations. My question is how would I go about finding the recommended leave spring mounting distance. If my current mounts are too far apart Im assuming that the leafspring arch wouldnt be very much and thus the axle tube would be closer to the frame. Anyway Im planning on purchasing some new mounts, just in case the shop has to remove mine and install them lower. My axles are Dexter 6000lb units. My current measurements from spring eye to spring eye is 25 3/8. Its is a tandem axle so the measurement from mount to center mount is 29.25. Also the current hangers not the middle one 2inch down by 1.75inch ish wide. Im not sure if the shop is planning on putting some spacer blocks above the new mounts or if I should just try to order a larger amount, like 3 or 4 inches. Anyway any help would be appreciated

asked by: Damon S

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Expert Reply:

Actually, what will solve your axle-to-frame clearance issue you are having the easiest would be to move the axles from being above the leaf springs to below the leaf springs. That will give you a great deal more clearance between the frame and the axle and won't require you to change anything about your current leaf spring hanger setup.

The diameter of your trailer axle will determine the size of the parts that you will need to order. If your axle is 3 inches diameter, the Dexter Trailer Springs Over-Under Conversion Kit, # K71-385-00, would be a great choice and if your axle is 2-3/8 inch diameter you could use the Over-Under Kit, # K71-384-00. These kits can be installed without welding but the manufacturer strongly recommends having the new spring seat tacked in place on the other side of the trailer axle.

Some refer to this process as "flipping the axles," but since axle has a slight bow to it you can't just flip them and reinstall them under the springs using the same spring seats. You have to remove the spring seats and install new ones on the opposite side of the axle so that it can be moved below the spring.

expert reply by: Jameson C

0

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Answer 1

If the trailer wheels scrubbed (dragged and scrapped the ground instead of rolling) when jack knifed then it could have thrown something out of alignment or damaged something. First, inspect the suspension. Look for any elongated holes where…

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Answer 2

The recommended clearance with leaf spring suspension on an unloaded trailer is between 2 - 2-1/2 inches. You should have sufficient clearance with your loaded trailer, as leaf springs only tend to deflect 1-1/2 inch when carrying a load.

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Answer 3

Installing a 4,000 lb capacity leaf spring on a trailer with a 3,500 lb capacity axle will make the suspension stiffer which could then in turn minimize the risk of the axle contacting the frame. However, this is not what I recommend to fix your…

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Answer 4

You can mount trailer axles above or below the leaf springs. The difference is just the amount of ground clearance that the trailer would end up having. The biggest advantage with the spring below the axle (trailer will be lower) is that you would…

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Answer 5

Thank you for providing the specs for the suspension components that you already have. Correct hanger spacing really depends on the components being used such as springs, hangers and equalizers. Most of the hanger spacing dimensions that we have are…

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Answer 6

The Tandem Axle Trailer Fenders - Double Radius - Steel - 14" to 15" Wheels - Qty 2 #HP94VR are 65" long x 9" wide x 15" tall and they are designed to work with 33 to 35 inch on center axle spacing.

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Answer 7

The #HP54VR fenders are 9 inches in width all along their length, as shown in the provided photo. All the tandem axle trailer fenders we offer for 14 inch wheels would be the same width. I've linked to an install video that you might find…

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Answer 8

The Demco A-Frame Trailer Coupler w/ Jack Hole #DM14793-81 that you referenced can bolt up to a boxed trailer frame and would not damage it when torquing the install hardware.

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Answer 9

I went out into our warehouse and grabbed a Demco A-Frame Trailer Coupler #DM14791-97 to get the dimension you are looking for and found that from bottom of the top plate to the bottom flange of the coupler measures 3-1/4 inches.

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Answer 10

According to your owners manual, you can absolutely flat tow your specific model. It is not recommended to tow this vehicle over 65 mph. You will also need to start the engine and allow it to run for five minutes at the beginning of each day and…

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Answer 11

Replacing your trailer's hangers with longer ones will raise it. Using #28-5, which are 3-1/4 inch hangers, will likely give you the clearance you're looking for. Another option is an over-under kit. This moves the leaf springs over the axle…

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