Forum Discussion

marcsbigfoot20b's avatar
marcsbigfoot20b
Explorer
Jun 11, 2014

Inspect Those Travel Trailer Springs !!!

About 2 weeks ago I loaded up the TT in Mexico and started to head home. Immediately I noticed my brake controller saying there is a short somewhere and I have no brakes......fantastic!

I figured being parked at the beach by the super salty water had corroded something on the brakes. I left and every little bump the P3 was switching from normal to shorted.

Drove carefully to the AZ side of the border and climbed underneath.
Found one side wiring had gotten smashed between the axle and the frame. Exposed wires were rubbing on the axle causing a short.

Then started looking around and noticed one of my leaf springs was broken!! It was the second longest leaf in the stack, broken off on both ends causing the long leaf to bend.
Luckily the Napa auto parts in Ajo had some in stock and I had it replaced.

Just ordered 4 new stronger ones.

Check those springs!!!!
  • MM49's avatar
    MM49
    Explorer
    Jun 28, 2014
    Increasing the spring rate above the axle rating shifts the failure mode to a different location and different severity.
    MM49
  • spike99's avatar
    spike99
    Explorer
    Jun 28, 2014
    Upgrading to "next size up" axle and leaf spring packs is a great idea. Especially since many TT/RV makers build their trailer suspension at minimum code (to make more profits).

    If wondering, I "up sized" suspension on 3 of my trailers and never regretted it. Especially when going across those double railway tracks.
  • kendive's avatar
    kendive
    Explorer
    Jun 28, 2014
    marcsbigfoot20b27 wrote:
    jmtandem wrote:
    Drove carefully to the AZ side of the border and climbed underneath.


    Underneath the border or underneath the trailer??


    Had my passport card and passport, so no tunnelling this time? ;)


    Love it...
  • marcsbigfoot20b's avatar
    marcsbigfoot20b
    Explorer
    Jun 28, 2014
    Replaced all 4 springs last week.
    3500 lb axles were upgraded by previous owner to 4400 lbs, but springs were still 1750 each.

    Got 4 new 2400lb springs and installed.....gained an inch of height between axle and frame. Now a hard bump wont bottom out on frame and I know they are all new.
  • mike77leprechau's avatar
    mike77leprechau
    Explorer
    Jun 12, 2014
    had a similar issue with he suspension on my 02 dutchmen thankfully no accident but all the bolts mounting the springs must never had been tight and wore the holes in the brackets wider and wider as they moved around.....tech caught it when it was in for an unrelated issue thank god...
  • marcsbigfoot20b's avatar
    marcsbigfoot20b
    Explorer
    Jun 11, 2014
    jmtandem wrote:
    Drove carefully to the AZ side of the border and climbed underneath.


    Underneath the border or underneath the trailer??


    Had my passport card and passport, so no tunnelling this time? ;)
  • Ron3rd's avatar
    Ron3rd
    Explorer III
    Jun 11, 2014
    Same thing happened on my old 2004 Aljo trailer; broken leaf spring. The problem is the cheap China springs used are garbage. I got it fixed at a local truck repair shop as I was 200 miles from home. When I got home, I had a local spring shop build me a custom set of heavy duty leafs with the second leaf below the top leaf extending out past the "eye". The area near the eye is where they always brake because that part is "worked" by the leaf below on the cheap China springs. Cost me about $400 but was worth it for peace of mind.

    By the way, when I pulled the "new" spring the shop used to get me back on the road, it had a price tag of $21.95 if that tells you any thing.
  • jmtandem's avatar
    jmtandem
    Explorer II
    Jun 11, 2014
    Drove carefully to the AZ side of the border and climbed underneath.


    Underneath the border or underneath the trailer??

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