Broken springs

[buzzard616]

Spent the better part of a day last week sitting in a campground replacing the springs on the rear axle of my TT. Wasn't particularly pleasant and I'd rather not do it again.
BOTH rear main leafs snapped even with the second leaf. It looked like they were both previously weakened and the insane speed bump at the gate finished them both on the way into the campground.
Any ideas on the initial cause?
Pulling it apart, I noticed the rebound clips on all the springs were on the front half of the spring. On any picture or diagram I've seen of a leaf spring with ONE clip, the clip was on the end opposite the shackle.
Seeing as how the springs on the rear axle in a tandem set are 'backwards' would it make sense to mount the rear springs with the clips to the rear?

[Oldfordman]

Why do trailer springs break?

Not only due to them being the absolute minimum for the vehicle they're installed on they are also often purchased from "the lowest bidder". Quality has a tendency to follow price.

When passenger cars were all equipped with leaf springs people often sprayed them with motor oil or on a weekend would drive a screwdriver between the end of a leaf and the one above then squirt grease between them. End result----- more broken leaf springs.

Leaf springs rely on not just the temper in the metal to keep them from over arching under compression but also the friction between leaves. It's a combined effort. Lube the leaves and this friction goes away. Separators are used on many springs to reduce squeak but the separator material is somewhat like brake material.

In my case the issue of leaf springs on my trailer is now moot. My 2018 Micro-Lite has torsion spring axles with easy-lube hubs. I love 'em already. 🙂

[MEXICOWANDERER]

I had a utility trailer's broken springs rehabilitated down here 33-years ago. By a local genius who tempered his own springs. He looked at the trailer springs and muttered "This has got to be a joke".

So, for the next day's project he made a set of springs. Including hangers. Why new hangers?The new springs were considerably wider than the originals. He custom arc'ed them.

Told me to replace the hanger rivets with nuts and bolts but then spot weld them together.

The replacement springs made the utility trailer ride much better empty and same load weight deflection was a lot less. I ended up giving the trailer to a friend and then lost track of both in 2008. He used to stack more than a half-cord of white oak firewood and transport it more than 15 miles over badly rutted dirt road then around 30 miles of highway. Never had a spring issue.

This experience has made me very suspicious of why travel trailer springs break so often.

[time2roll]

Like most equipment on an RV the springs are running at the max.
I would have recommended the next higher rating.

[Lynnmor]

buzzard616 wrote:

Anybody got any ideas why the springs broke?

Leaf springs have a finite number of cycles till breakage occurs. A marginal spring will be flexed more than one that is stronger and will fatigue sooner. Factor in cheap low quality steel and the only question remaining is; how did it last this long?

[brulaz]

buzzard616 wrote:
OK. Makes sense.
Anybody got any ideas why the springs broke?

Overloaded?

Our old popup kept busting springs until I took it to a spring shop and the guy fabbed up some heavier ones.

Or how are your axle bearings? Maybe you want to replace the whole assembly, axles and springs with something heavier?

My current trailer has two 5200# axle/spring assemblies but a GVWR of only 8100#. And with 1200# on the tongue, they're way under their 10400# total rating. A lot of other trailers are much closer though, and possibly over.

[buzzard616]

OK. Makes sense.
Anybody got any ideas why the springs broke?

[PaulJ2]

The clips need to be towards the front because when brakes are applied the axle tends to twist downward towards the front and separate the leaves if no clips are in place.