RnR
Senior Nomad
Posts: 836
Registered: 5-1-2010
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Trailer Axle Repair Info?
Okay, I have the opportunity to buy a 6x10 single axle cargo trailer in very good condition.
The trailer has a 3,500 lb torsion bar axle. Not leaf springs.
I have broken and replaced a leaf spring or two on Baja trailers over the years and usually carry spare springs/parts.
Question?? What do you do about the torsion bar axle if something goes wrong?
Is the suspension bar part field replaceable, do you carry an entire spare axle, (ugh), or do the torsion bar axles not fail as easily as the leaf
springs? (Or just not buy this trailer.....)
Oh, and the outer axle tube is welded to the trailer frame.
Thx
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Barry A.
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Do you plan on taking this trailer off-pavement a lot? If so, anything that "bends" like torsion-bars would build up heat on washboard, it seems to
me, and break. But I have no experience with "torsion bars" so not a good source of advice. I have broken several leaf-springs on Baja dirt roads,
and have given up on trailers off-road, including boat trailers, but that is just my personal experience.
On pavement, I am thinking that "torsion bars" would be just fine.
Barry
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onemoreplease
Newbie
Posts: 16
Registered: 12-18-2012
Location: Ashland, Oregon
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we have never had one fail...yet. I have the same setup, but towing 3 catarafts, and a half ton in beer weekly. on washboard roads.
I also, would like to know what to do if it fails...
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RnR
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Barry A.
On pavement, I am thinking that "torsion bars" would be just fine.
Barry |
I'm planning on using it on Mex 1 the vast majority of the time.
However, both times that I had a leaf spring break, it was on Mex 1. One trailer had NEVER been off road other than to pull off the pavement to park!
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TMW
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Registered: 9-1-2003
Location: Bakersfield, CA
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Carry some chain and bolts. Depending on the design you can usually pull, jack or pry it to chain it to get you to a welder for repairs.
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liknbaja127
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Registered: 1-17-2012
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We have a axel, with hubs, bolted to the bottom of trailer, spare springs
and bolts. parts are hard to find, when you need them!!
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dtbushpilot
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| Quote: | Originally posted by TW
Carry some chain and bolts. Depending on the design you can usually pull, jack or pry it to chain it to get you to a welder for repairs.
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Seems like I remember doing something like this once....
"Life is tough".....It's even tougher if you're stupid.....
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Retireded
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I've never dealt with torsion bars on a trailer, but on my old chrysler wagon the torsion bar front suspension was about bulletproof. I drove it down
many a washboard over many years with never a failure. I did smooth out the washboard in those years by driving fast enough that we hardly felt it.
Cone to think of it, we usually were hauling some beer too.
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J.P.
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Barry A.
Do you plan on taking this trailer off-pavement a lot? If so, anything that "bends" like torsion-bars would build up heat on washboard, it seems to
me, and break. But I have no experience with "torsion bars" so not a good source of advice. I have broken several leaf-springs on Baja dirt roads,
and have given up on trailers off-road, including boat trailers, but that is just my personal experience.
On pavement, I am thinking that "torsion bars" would be just fine.
Barry |
I have a 95 Suburban 4x4 with torsion bars on front and it has over 200 thousand miles on it a lot of them pulling a loaded toy hauler all over
Baja.I never have given a thought that the torsion bars would Break.
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Bob and Susan
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8813
Registered: 8-20-2003
Location: Mulege BCS on the BAY
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if it's a "homemade" unit i'd pass but if it's a commercial made unit it'll have a sticker on it rating the trailer
remember even if you think its rated to 3500# your weakest link are the tires
small rims and you cant get tires for heavier weights
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