Thread: Springs installed with the eyes rearward.

Firstly I'm not sure I can visualise what you mean by "... I need to put the front axle back a bit. This would then not give the front spring slipper much to ride on."

Normally a Tandem Sipper Spring set is set up with a deep hanger in the middle which clamps the eye of the rear spring. The slipper section of the front spring then slides through the gap between the top of the hanger and the eye of the rear spring.


The springs are the only attachment for the axles to the trailer, and therefore are a part of the axles alignment geometry. Part of the springs job is to act as a trailing arm for the axle, and if it were to be reversed, this can make not only the ride of trailer harsher than it would be as a trailing arm (pick up one end of something heavy and drag it over rough ground... then try pushing it), but the wheel alignment when setting the trailer up ultra critical (even then, as the suspension moves this will change). Think of it like trying to push a shopping trolley around and keeping its castor wheels facing forward. Travelling at speed, with a load, it's going to make the trailer twitchy at best, and at worst, a danger tow.

I'm not saying that it won't work, but it'd have to be set up spot-on, and that's not taking into account the wearing of parts over time.

I don't know for sure how it will work out on a trailer.

But lots of front leaf sprung vehicles have the shackles at the front on the front axle.

for example all the leaf sprung landcrusers

BUT..they all have pretty long flat leaves and they are all running shackles

If you are hanging the axles on independent springs rather than a compensating suspension you may be able to do that.....but I've never seen it.

bear in mind that an independently sprung axle group can not be rated as highly as a compensating spring system.

it will bump steer differently......a pair of independently spring axles with all the shackles to the rear will bump steer by shifting to the bumped side....like the trailer will shift sideways toward the side bumping down...as the centre of both springs move rearward.

where as a pair of axles with the shackles toward the outside, will actually steer as the axles bump down the centre of the springs will move appart, making the trailer try to steer a curve.

not keen on the idea on a rigid trailer.......if it is a steering pair of axles like in a car or truck or a dog trailer.....the steering action would compensate for the bump steer.


cheers