Can Spring Perches on 3,500 Pound Axle be Moved

Question:

Hi, I am considering an axle for my trailer newly built trailer, Im thinking on buying a 73inch HB and 58inch Spring Center - 3,500 lbs. The question I have is, what happens to the weight capacity or performance of the spring perches if theyare moved inward as my trailer has a spring center to center of about 51? Does this affect the integrity of the axle or is this OK to do?

asked by: Joel

Expert Reply:

The spring seats (or perches) on a 3,500 pound axle can each be safely moved as far as 9 inches away from the hub face without affecting its integrity. Since the hub you are looking at features a 73 inch hub face measurement and a 58 inch spring center measurement, the perches are already each spaced 7-1/2 inches in from the hub face. This means you would only be able to move them each 1-1/2 inches closer, giving you a new spring seat measurement of 55 inches.

Moving the spring perches any more than this will definitely affect the axle and will essentially reduce its capacity to an unknown number. This may cause you to unknowingly overload the axles and cause damage to them or other suspension components so I cannot recommend doing this.

We do not have any standard axles with the dimensions that you're needing but we do have the Timbren Axle-Less Suspension Systems that will work great on your newly built trailer. These independent units can eliminate the need for a thru axle altogether and will simply bolt to the trailer frame.

For 3,500 pound units I recommend the Timbren # ASR3500S05 or the # A35RS545E that includes the hubs and brake assemblies. The Timbren system features AEON progressive-rate main springs that will do a great job of absorbing road shock for an overall smoother ride. They can also fit any frame width.

I have attached a sample installation video just so you can get a better idea of this process and how they work.

expert reply by: Chris R