Determining Correct Replacement Leaf Spring For Tandem Axle Gooseneck Trailer W/ Mobile Home Axles

Question:

Had a mobile home axle fail on my gooseneck flat trailer.tandem axle. Rear broke between the u bolts. Had about 8,000 pounds on trailer. Half of the weight centered on rear axle. The metal is torn looking. What can cause this? Are my springs bad? Can i replace with the single leaf you have?

asked by: Dave R

Expert Reply:

I am sorry to hear your axle broke!

I do not have an exact answer on why your axle broke in the manner it did, but unless you notice that your springs are completely worn out I wouldn't say it was caused by the springs. I will say that mobile home axles are really designed for one time use, and are not always made to the highest standard for longevity.

If your springs are worn out, I would be happy to recommend a replacement for you but I will need to know the length and width of current springs, if your current springs are double eye or slipper springs, and the axle capacity.

For example the 1-Leaf Double-Eye Spring for 6,000-lb Trailer Axles # e46SR is a 1-3/4" wide double eye spring that measures 25-1/4" from center of spring eye to center of spring eye as you can see in the included diagram, and is designed trailers with a 6000lb axle.

Another common spring style is slipper springs, like the 5-Leaf Slipper Spring w/ Hook End for 6,000-lb Trailer Axles # e67SR which is a 2" wide slipper spring that measures 27" from the center of the spring eye to the end of the spring as shown in the included diagram, and is also designed for a trailer with 6000lb axles.

Keep in mind that when measuring the length of the leaf spring, you will need to make sure that the wheels are off the ground as the springs flatten out under load which would give you an inaccurate measurement.

If you can confirm the length of your current springs, spring design, and weight capacity of your axle I would be happy to confirm the correct replacement for you.