Trailer leaning

[gmg]

Noticed today that the trailer was leaning some to the right toward the right side of the road. There is also about an inch more clearance between the bottom of the nose section and the truck bed rail on left side. The rig tows straight and has no pull to either side. It just leans to the right some. I looked under it for a broken spring or shackle but all appears fine. Has anyone heard of adding a spacer to raise it up some? What could be the likely cause of this? Has anyone else experienced this situation and what did you do to resolve it and what did it cost?

[BarneyS]

fj12ryder wrote:
IMO the best upgrade you can do is change out to the EZ-Flex kit and wet bolts by Dexter. Best bang for your buck AFAIC. Those freeway joints and bridge joints will no longer be an issue.

Yep, I agree with fj12ryder above. I did exactly that several years ago and posted about it here. I got the complete kit from Eastern Marine who had the best price at the time. There are a couple of different kits available so make sure you measure your existing equalizer before you order anything. Also some sites sell just the wet bolts without the equalizer and some sell the equalizer with normal dry bolts.
Barney

[fj12ryder]

IMO the best upgrade you can do is change out to the EZ-Flex kit and wet bolts by Dexter. Best bang for your buck AFAIC. Those freeway joints and bridge joints will no longer be an issue.

[JIMNLIN]

When one pin or side links lets go on a trailer as old as yours its time to replace all pins and bushings.
You also will need to check all the holes in the equalizer and side links for oblong worn holes.

A big rig trailer repair shop can handle that type work and realign the axles to specs if tires show odd wear patterns after the pin/bushing RR.

[laknox]

gmg wrote:
I have discovered the problem. I would post a picture but do not know how to do that. There is a center rocker piece between the two axles. That rocker then is attached to the leaf spring by two straps (inboard and outboard sides of the spring) the straps have pulled apart where they attach to the bolt.

That's called an equalizer. Self-explanatory if you think about the mechanics of it. If that's failed, then that could do it. If the one's gone bad, the other one likely isn't far behind. Since you need to replace the equalizers, think about replacing them wit one that's cushioned. Several are available. On top of that, a wet bolt kit wouldn't be amiss. This replaces the cheap plastic/nylon bushings with bronze ones, heavier spring shackles and greaseable spring bolts.

Lyle

[gmg]

I have discovered the problem. I would post a picture but do not know how to do that. There is a center rocker piece between the two axles. That rocker then is attached to the leaf spring by two straps (inboard and outboard sides of the spring) the straps have pulled apart where they attach to the bolt.

[laknox]

DutchmenSport wrote:
Most roads are made with a slope to the outside edge. Are you sure the "lean" is not just an allusion because the road itself has a lean? Find somewhere where you know the surface is flat, like a very large parking lot. Drive there and see what the rig looks like.

I had a horrible time with my truck dealership repair shop when the truck was new. I kept complaining how the truck seemed to always pull to the right. LONG story short, after a couple front end alignments, changed tires, and replacing springs, it still pulled to the right. Then one day I was driving on a truly "flat" road and noticed it had no pull. That's when I realized, and really started taking note of how many roads are built with slopes to the edge for water drainage. When towing my 5er, I can really see the "lean" because the 5er is so tall.

It's just something to consider before tearing things apart that don't need to be torn apart.

A =good= alignment shop will put just a hair of "left turn" in the front end to help a vehicle track straight. Offsets the crown that 90=% of roads have.

Lyle

[MFL]

DutchmenSport wrote:
Most roads are made with a slope to the outside edge. Are you sure the "lean" is not just an allusion because the road itself has a lean? Find somewhere where you know the surface is flat, like a very large parking lot. Drive there and see what the rig looks like.

Very true Dutchmen, but OP states that the trailer is leaning and not the truck. He says the trailer is one inch closer to bed rail on one side.

I have towed down some old, little used, but paved, county roads, that were so sloped, that with no traffic, I would tow down the middle.

Jerry

[DutchmenSport]

Most roads are made with a slope to the outside edge. Are you sure the "lean" is not just an allusion because the road itself has a lean? Find somewhere where you know the surface is flat, like a very large parking lot. Drive there and see what the rig looks like.

I had a horrible time with my truck dealership repair shop when the truck was new. I kept complaining how the truck seemed to always pull to the right. LONG story short, after a couple front end alignments, changed tires, and replacing springs, it still pulled to the right. Then one day I was driving on a truly "flat" road and noticed it had no pull. That's when I realized, and really started taking note of how many roads are built with slopes to the edge for water drainage. When towing my 5er, I can really see the "lean" because the 5er is so tall.

It's just something to consider before tearing things apart that don't need to be torn apart.

[TxGearhead]

Used to be a spring shop near downtown named Heitman Spring. Not sure if it's still in business. Might check with them.
Also Axle & Wheel aligning on HWY 225 at Richey might help.

[wing_zealot]

Maybe it's heavier on that side. Not unusual to have one side heavier than the other, which would make it "lean".

[laknox]

gmg wrote:
Noticed today that the trailer was leaning some to the right toward the right side of the road. There is also about an inch more clearance between the bottom of the nose section and the truck bed rail on left side. The rig tows straight and has no pull to either side. It just leans to the right some. I looked under it for a broken spring or shackle but all appears fine. Has anyone heard of adding a spacer to raise it up some? What could be the likely cause of this? Has anyone else experienced this situation and what did you do to resolve it and what did it cost?

I'd say weakened spring or even a broken spring that you can't see. Could also be wear in the hangers, bolts and spring eyes. I'd first weigh the FW side to side, to be sure that it's simply not uneven weight.

Lyle

[fj12ryder]

Is the front leaning the same amount as the rear? Does it actually lean when measured, or does it just look like it's leaning?

Could be flattening springs, worn shackles/bolts, frame fracture, hitch mount fracture, very hard to say.