sideways trailer

[Blank Slate]

The last time I used the trailer I loaded it with some firewood parked it for three weeks and now it looks all sideways because if it shifted on its axle.

what do you think is going on?

[kboehringer]

what do you think is going on?

Using magnifier, I spotted a missing bolt on the front of the left leaf spring to the front support shackle. Least it looks that way from the pic..... A nice new bolt should get 'er sort of level again.

Getting a little rusty under there.... The crossing angle iron (wires running through it) also appears to be cracked in half, and unless it's the pic quality the axle doesn't exactly look too straight..... Looks like not too many miles left in that trailer!

KURT

[motoman]

Using magnifier, I spotted a missing bolt on the front of the left leaf spring to the front support shackle. Least it looks that way from the pic..... A nice new bolt should get 'er sort of level again.

Getting a little rusty under there.... The crossing angle iron (wires running through it) also appears to be cracked in half, and unless it's the pic quality the axle doesn't exactly look too straight..... Looks like not too many miles left in that trailer!

KURT

Good eye there. Besides, using plain ole' pipe as a frame basis was a REALLY bad idea. Box tubing or I-beam the better choice. Just have to throw all that in there since I professionally built trailers of many different sorts....single axle/double&tripple axle while working in main shop(certified welder/fabricator & A&E mechanic) for 31+yrs.
Actually, truth be known, those spring hanger mounts need to be welded to a flat surface, not pipe. Plain ole' pipe weakens in welding location....a good fracture point. Visually, otherwise cept for underside design/fabrication, could make for a decent trailer for a lot of different uses.

[Blank Slate]

kb, that's what i told my gf... a bolt mist have fallen out

moto, the trailer was an abandonned wooden piece of junk that i decided to pimp up a bit. it has been very useful like for moving my 1100, or for wood, dirt, even takes a yard of gravel (barely) lol

[Blank Slate]

gonna try to fix it today

[kboehringer]

Blank Slate,
Looks like that front bolt is there. The REAR shackle looks like it's jammed up against the frame. Must have really had a heavy load on that trailer?

Pry that rear shackle back down off the frame. Be CAREFUL that may spring back down with some force!!!!!

KURT

[Gmac]

+1 on LR shackle

It's jammed up against the frame as pointed out by KB.
Crowbar, plenty of spray lube of your choice and caution.

[aquamantx]

I think Kurt is correct. If you look at the second set of pics you can see the leaf springs are sitting in different positions. the back of the leaf in on the leaning side looks like it is jammed in the bracket. the other is hanging free. It probably did pull the axel out of alignment because it looks like it swung to the back

[motoman]

Blank Slate,
Looks like that front bolt is there. The REAR shackle looks like it's jammed up against the frame. Must have really had a heavy load on that trailer?

Pry that rear shackle back down off the frame. Be CAREFUL that may spring back down with some force!!!!!

KURT

Yup.......and a 'stop' welded frontside of that hanger so's the incident doesn't repeat.

[motoman]

My other suggestion would be: with trailer sitting on wheels/tires, unbolt u-bolts holding leaf spring assembly to axle on that 'fubared' side, then jack up axle assembly, then inspect that leaf spring center bolt holding leaf spring assembly together hadn't sheared off bottom round head of the bolt or dog'legged bent bolt that goes thru leaf spring assembly. A replacement bolt specificly for that type assembly can easily be bought. That bolt is, and needs to be grade8 specified. Part of what happened there was the trailer leaf springs and trailer rebounded UP to far, causing pivot rotation of spring hanger.

[Brak]

Had a similar issue with my Durango last winter.... hit a pothole the size of lake michigan, and the whole axle shifted....

the problem was that the leaf spring broke at the front eye, and ithe weight forced the leaf flat, thereby shifting the axle.

*edit* Spring, not sprint. :/