Broken Leaf Springs

[RobWNY]

I have seen several videos on youtube recently about RVers having to deal with a broken Leaf Spring while traveling and getting the repair done. Some have done the job themselves, while others have hired a mobile RV Tech and still others have found a repair facility to get the job done. So how often do broken leaf springs happen and is it mostly due to overloading or is there some other reason for them to break? How far can you safely pull a camper with a broken Leaf Spring? Would it be a good idea to have a spare leaf spring if doing a lot of traveling? Most of these people mention how repair places don't have one in stock which means they have to wait for weeks in some instances.

[buc1980]

May be bad luck for me but I got 3 springs broke in 15 years.That was the end. I replace the springs with IS Moryde and no more problems.

[JimK-NY]

A high percentage of what is made in China is made to meet specs provided by the buyers. If the buyers want higher quality and more expensive goods, they will be provided. If they want cheap, that is what they get. RV tires are a good example. There are plenty of quality tires available yet the manufacturers seem to prefer buying cheapo Chinese made tires. The Chinese will continue to provide these because there is a market for cheap.

If an RV is built with cheap Chinese made goods, I blame the RV manufacturer for buying the cheapest parts, not the maker of the parts.

[JRscooby]

memtb wrote:

JRscooby wrote:

When US started to trade with Japan, we gave them junk. That is what they made to match are goods. When The learned we wanted better they made as good or better than we did. Compare cars made in '70s US/Japan.
US makes varies qualities of goods for markets. To assume China does not sell what the customer demands is racism.

You started with a questionable comment only to far exceed reality with your last comment, to which I respond .....”Horse Hockey”! memtb

I had a friend that lived in Japan as a child late '40/early '50s. He saved some of the toys he had when came to this country. His "Made in Japan toys where much better quality then the MIJ toys I had. OTOH My Made in USA toys where much better then his. I assume toys where not the only products that met that idea. Do you have evidence to the contrary?
Now do you want to disagree that US manufactures quality levels depends on market aimed at? Are you old enough to remember the Chevette? Did it have the same level of quality of construction and materials as the same years Olds or Caddy?
Now what makes you think China can not make steel or springs of both high or low quality? And that if given a choice, RV manufactures would buy the lowest price stuff?

[memtb]

JRscooby wrote:

Lynnmor wrote:

JimK-NY wrote:

down home wrote:
Cheap Chinese Springs........

The Chinese make very high quality steels. I think this is another of many examples where the American companies order the cheapest materials and then we think cheap materials are all the Chinese can make.

It does not matter what they CAN make, it only matters when they export cheap junk. If they had a bit of pride in their goods, they would refuse orders for inferior, dangerous goods. Japan produced junk years ago and they cleaned up their act.

When US started to trade with Japan, we gave them junk. That is what they made to match are goods. When The learned we wanted better they made as good or better than we did. Compare cars made in '70s US/Japan.
US makes varies qualities of goods for markets. To assume China does not sell what the customer demands is racism.

You started with a questionable comment only to far exceed reality with your last comment, to which I respond .....”Horse Hockey”! memtb

[JRscooby]

Lynnmor wrote:

JimK-NY wrote:

down home wrote:
Cheap Chinese Springs........

The Chinese make very high quality steels. I think this is another of many examples where the American companies order the cheapest materials and then we think cheap materials are all the Chinese can make.

It does not matter what they CAN make, it only matters when they export cheap junk. If they had a bit of pride in their goods, they would refuse orders for inferior, dangerous goods. Japan produced junk years ago and they cleaned up their act.

When US started to trade with Japan, we gave them junk. That is what they made to match are goods. When The learned we wanted better they made as good or better than we did. Compare cars made in '70s US/Japan.
US makes varies qualities of goods for markets. To assume China does not sell what the customer demands is racism.

[Lynnmor]

JimK-NY wrote:

down home wrote:
Cheap Chinese Springs........

The Chinese make very high quality steels. I think this is another of many examples where the American companies order the cheapest materials and then we think cheap materials are all the Chinese can make.

It does not matter what they CAN make, it only matters when they export cheap junk. If they had a bit of pride in their goods, they would refuse orders for inferior, dangerous goods. Japan produced junk years ago and they cleaned up their act.

[JimK-NY]

down home wrote:
Cheap Chinese Springs........

The Chinese make very high quality steels. I think this is another of many examples where the American companies order the cheapest materials and then we think cheap materials are all the Chinese can make.

[Slownsy]

Most broken springs as said is main leaf, fixed by getting a military wrap springs, ( main leaf supported by second) not a expensive fix, yes I have had broken springs in the past and had to drive hundreds of kilometres with timber wedged between spring and frame held in place with tie downs.
Frank.

[CharlesinGA]

I too have seen several Youtube videos of broken springs, one on a 16 ft cargo trailer being used as a camper, another on a 20 ft or so travel trailer, and another on a larger trailer, a fifth wheel if I recall. In all cases the spring that broke was the main leaf, out in the area where it is unsupported by the other spring leaves. I highly suspect the problem is cheap imported products, used by Dexter and Lippert and others. This may be the reason that in days gone by, it was unusual to see a broken spring, as the springs 30 or 40 years ago were US made and from US steel.

Gonagain has broken spring on their cargo trailer conversion.

Grand Adventure breaks a leaf spring enroute to the Canyon of the Ancients

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Broken+leaf+spring+rv

US trailer manufacturers seem to be unwilling to install a quality suspension system on their products, as they regard the whole trailer as disposable and not worth the extra expense of a quality suspension.

I wished I had a trailer with a suspension such as the Australian made Cruisemaster.com.au or the alko.com.au suspensions.

Charles

[phillyg]

I know from this and other forums that spring packs fail, but I don't think it's a frequent problem. I would probably carry one spare pack and a set of shackles and bolts with me if I went to Alaska, but I don't in the lower 38.

[down_home]

Cheap Chinese Springs on Trailers do not equate with American car springs but..I have broken springs, the right side on drag cars but they were pushing2,00 hp and slicks. I've seen a several old cars with broken front coil springs over 72 years.
I don't have any book marks or anything but do remember reading of some broken trailer springs here overtime. Quite a few problems with broken shackles and worn out spring bushings...because or inadequate pieces for the weight and conditions of use Chinese axle bearings such as those I had to remove and replace, with races of two pieces not even meeting in the middle and broken roller bearings. That was on a two axle boat trailer.
The current state of affairs I'm not up on as I don't own a new or old towable now.

[JIMNLIN]

car springs vs trailer axle springs...apples vs pickles.
Two completely different operating environments. Our cars/trucks with rear leaf springs simply follow around corners with little if any side loads.
We all know the tremendous side loading conventional trailers leaf spring operate in.

Some trailer newbs have said they place a bottle jack under the spring to jack that wheel. Doing so can crack that spring or stress that spot and break later down the road.

There are several reasons a spring may crack. I've had my share of trailer suspension issues in the '70s and '80s when I hauled for a living. Crack or broken springs happen.

With the availability of trailer suspension parts I don't carry suspension parts now nor back in the day. Waste of time...money....and a paying payload cheater.

[JRscooby]

Back in the '70s when most OTR trucks where spring ride truck owners that where leased to the company I was kept spare springs at some of the terminals where we had to lay over. (Wichita, there was a hole in parking lot, drop wheels in that hole could change without a jack) Now when we where waiting for a load, the tractors where driven all over town just like a car. Most of the springs that broke we where bobtailing. I would often run over the rating on axles. That would cause springs to loose there arch, and wear hangers and other things, but never broke the spring. Of course, when they lost their arch I would replace, because I don't want to look fat, so that might be a issue with RVs

[wa8yxm]

How often?
I am 70
have had one old car with a broken leaf spring
one Dodge B250 Maxi Van also aged
And helped one RVER replace a broken leaf.

That's the entire list of springs I've replaced.