Trailer support wheel - in simple words

Hello everyone, dear friends! Today we will talk about trailer springs.

Some models already have them, so the only question that arises is how to strengthen and increase the load-carrying capacity of the structure.

In other cases, passenger car trailers have rubber-harness (torsion bar) suspension options.

Their disadvantages are complex maintenance and repair. You can only change the bearing yourself, but the lever or torsion bar will be replaced either at a service station or at the factory where the trailer was manufactured. The price of such a repair is equal to the cost of a new torsion axle. Therefore, for many, it is preferable to convert the torsion bar to a leaf spring suspension (RS).

Features and Benefits

If you have purchased a new passenger car or a used trailer with a torsion bar suspension, you may want to change the design to a spring one. I won’t name the reasons and motives; everyone has their own.

Spring devices have objective advantages. They appear as:

Even if one sheet fails on the road, there is nothing terrible about it. This type of suspension allows you to get to a service station or a spare parts store, take an additional sheet and change it yourself.

Many people consider RP to be the prerogative of a truck and its trailer. There is some truth here, since it is actively used on:

• tractor trailer PTS 4;
• MAZ;
• Samro;
• Kamaz;
• SZAP.

But no one forbids you to put the RP on a regular single-axle or two-axle passenger car trailer, but only with fewer sheets. By the way, I already...

On trailers, the suspended equipment is located above the bridge. He takes on the main load. The springs serve as a load-bearing damper unit. This allows you to take lateral, vertical and longitudinal loads. The bridge in trailers is a conventional pipe-shaped structure, and there are no additional mechanisms.

What to choose

A logical question when choosing springs will be which ones to install on your passenger trailer. This depends on a number of factors. There are also good Volgov springs available on the market, as well as products from Al-Ko and other domestic or foreign manufacturers.

Here I want to make a few clarifications.

Designs may differ in the number of sheets. Reinforced models are made from a larger number of spring leaves, but they are stiffer and designed to work under heavy loads. For passenger cars, usually from 3 to 9 units are chosen.

Which one to choose from, decide for yourself.

DIY installation

I suggest you find out how you can install an Al-Ko spring with your own hands. As an example, I use a boat trailer and a floating type of spring design.

Although you can put it on any other trailer:

• MZSA;
• Flint;
• KMZ;
• Moskvichevskie trailers;
• Bee;
• any homemade trailer, etc.

Now about the installation itself. These are approximate instructions, since the assembly differs depending on the type of selected RP, the trailer itself, the goals of the car owner, etc.

• At the front, the spring is fixed with an eyelet. The thickness of its metal is 5 mm. Fastening is carried out with an M12 bolt;
• The front eye will contain a fluoroplastic spring bushing, which will have to be changed every 50 thousand kilometers;

• When ordering or making lugs, make sure that the distance between the metal of the lug and the spring is 0.25-1 millimeter;
• The tightening torque is not regulated;
• The spring at the rear will be floating, with a metal thickness for the fixation point (a kind of closed eye) of 5 mm. Be sure to periodically apply lubricant, otherwise strong friction will occur and the spring will quickly wear out;
• The spring and beam are connected by two metal plates (top and bottom) each 1 cm thick;

It is equally important to competently operate a vehicle modified with your own hands.

Service

During operation, you need to adhere to some rules for servicing a modernized trailer.

These include:

• The frequency of replacement of fluoroplastic bushings is 50 thousand kilometers. But this is a conditional figure. If the trailer is actively used and driven under heavy loads, replacement may be required earlier. Monitor its condition and change it promptly;
• To prevent the spring from failing at the most crucial moment and breaking, do not forget to check the level of tightening of the bolts at the point of its connection with the beam. They gradually weaken, which leads to accelerated wear and deformation. This should be done at least once every 10 thousand kilometers. Avoid the formation of backlash. The connection should always be tight;

• Lubricant is placed in the eye with the floating part of the spring. Many people use grease, although it is more practical to use graphite lubricant. To do this, use a pry bar to bend the spring plate and add lubricant. Just don't do it with your fingers, otherwise you risk simply losing them. Use a cotton swab or brush;
• The frequency of adding graphite lubricant or grease is not regulated. Check the status of the node. It must always be wet, that is, be in this material. Otherwise, the plates will begin to wear out and break.

Some argue that a floating part for trailer springs is a bad thing. It's better to put a silent block there. But this design has clear advantages. It’s not for nothing that they put it on cargo trailers and cars.

To transport large and bulky cargo over long distances, we are accustomed to using freight vehicles of various tonnage, and a wheelbarrow is also perfect for moving heavy loads inside a farmstead. But what if you need to transport a small cargo over a medium distance. In this case, using a wheelbarrow is inconvenient and requires significant energy expenditure, and hiring a special truck is not at all profitable. For such purposes, a trailer is perfect, the tractor for which can be a passenger car, a mini-tractor, or even a walk-behind tractor.

All this is presented in household farming, but, so to speak, in miniature. For example, even a wheelbarrow will do for transportation within the farm.

You can also hire a truck to deliver goods from afar. But when transporting heavy loads over medium distances, a wheelbarrow turns out to be unproductive and a truck unprofitable. Therefore, for my yard, I decided to make a trailer with my own hands, and such that it could be used as a tractor for a walk-behind tractor, and, if necessary, a passenger car.

Sale of trailers, motorhomes

The OLX.ua service presents a wide variety of options for purchasing trailers and semi-trailers, for passenger cars or transportation of large cargo. Here you will find models that can be mounted on a walk-behind tractor or motorcycle. Lightweight drop-side and tipper trailers.

In addition, there is a wide range of motorhomes, they are also called campers, which will allow you to travel comfortably and for a long time in Ukraine and abroad! Favorable prices and convenient search on the site will definitely not leave you without a profitable purchase!

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How to make a reinforced trailer for a car with your own hands

You can make such a light trailer with your own hands.
To make it, you can use spare parts and parts that can be found in the garage or at a disassembly site. The frame will be made from two spars and two traverses (front and rear crossbars). And the platform lattice consists of five crossbars, which are placed between the traverses. Crossbars and traverses relative to the side members should have small cantilever outlets. Longitudinal parts must be welded to the ends of the outlets. They will play the role of lining the frames of the trailer sides. You can weld the racks onto these parts, and the upper trims to the racks.

How to convert a hitch on a trailer

• make the lining of the body and bottom of the trailer using ordinary plywood;
• replace standard optics with LED ones, which last longer and place less load on the car’s electrical system;
• apply anti-corrosion agent to the body;
• treat the body with high-quality paint;
• put up an awning (we talked about it separately in this article).

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The body part is made of steel by welding. The bottom and sides are made by stamping from sheet steel (0.7 mm). Wheel niches are located inside the body near the side walls. The floor is covered with a rubber corrugated cape. The upper frames of the sides are equipped with sockets for mounting awning arches, which are pipes of a certain diameter. The awning itself is made of tarpaulin, fixed to the arches using a special cord, which is threaded through eyelets located along the edges of the canvas.

Trailer for a passenger car, drawings, dimensions

The spars are made of rectangular pipes 60×30 mm. All the other frame and body frame parts listed above (traverses, cross members, racks, trim) are made of square steel pipe with a cross-section of 25x25 mm.

The front and rear sides of the body are the same. They are made folding (this allows you to transport long loads on a trailer), and therefore their frames, although all made from the same 25x25 mm square pipe, are made separately from the general body frame. The platform grille on top is covered with a 2-mm duralumin sheet, forming the floor of the body, and the outside sides are sheathed with thick tin - 0.8-mm steel sheet. The floor is attached to the grille with M5 bolts with countersunk heads, and the side trim is carefully (dotted) welded to the frames and posts.

The bridge beam also has a tubular rectangular cross-section: it is welded from two identical sections of channels No. 5, inserted into one another. Two wheel axles are pre-welded at the ends of one of them. The gaps between them and the beam channels at the ends were closed with plates made of steel sheet.

The beam is connected to the frame side members by means of two springs used from the old Moskvich-412 car; 13-inch wheels are also taken from the same car. The middles of the springs are pulled to the beam by stepladders, and their ends are attached to the side members: one is put on the axis of the bracket, and the other is put on the axis of the shackle. I considered shock absorbers in the design of a simplified cargo trailer for a passenger car to be unnecessary.

With such a suspension, the distance from the ground to the platform was about 600 mm, which, as operation has shown, is quite acceptable.

The drawbar of the homemade trailer is double-beam. Made from the same rectangular pipe with a cross section of 60×30 mm as the side members. The rear ends of the drawbar beams are docked and welded to the front ends of the side members with a 200 mm overlap. The front ends of the beams converge on the body of the towbar and are also welded to it. I have it homemade, but I never go on public roads with my trailer (and there is no need for this). Technical requirements simply prohibit the use of homemade towing devices.

The home-made trailer does not have brakes; I use the tractor’s brakes to stop or slow down the speed of movement. But I installed alarm devices—tail lights with turn signals and brake lights—so that my actions would always be clear to those driving on the road.

see also

Comments 43

I added more risors one sheet at a time.

This kind of welding is stressful.

Throw in springs and weights.

When loaded, does the earring (turns off) rest against the frame?

weld additional fasteners (rings)

I also made a very used trailer from Moskvich springs. loaded the ground, squatted completely. solving the problem of the earrings shifting to the rear by a couple of centimeters and the same springs began to hold the same weight!

It seems to me that putting springs in parallel with leaf springs is quite a budget option! The Zhigulev ones are quite suitable, but if you want to transport tanks :)), then install the Nivov ones. Many people do this here, I’ve seen them on trailers. Another plus: there are 3 weight distribution points on the trailer bed.

Thanks, will I need to saw the spring?

So it needs to be measured locally

the axle should be approximately 40% of the length of the body on the rear side, look at the factory ones - all of them have an axle shifted slightly back!

What are the hubs from?

The displacement of the trailer axle back is within 5-7 cm. You can add at least a dozen sheets to the spring package. Optimally 3-4. You can also add springs, then you will get a jumper. It’s better not to install bump stops; on bumps you’ll either bend the axle or break the ass of your car. And so you will load within reasonable limits. Hang spare tires on the sides. You can load at least two tons, but if the wheel goes bad it will be bad. Select tires according to load carrying capacity.

IMHO the Muscovites are simply weak. There are the same ones from the factory, it’s too early to go to the stops. Abstractly, how were the hubs welded smoothly? Technology? what to level with* After welding, no adjustment was required?

Cooked evenly, the trim is square, it doesn’t eat sideways

Well, that is. the usual method. Clear.

Add another root leaf to the springs. Here is the weight distribution of a two-meter trailer frame with Moskvich springs and everything will be fine. Yes, the spring is placed with the long end back - where the earring is.

I'll tell you how to assemble it for me. I saw this idea from Fiat Ducato, Peugeot Boxer... There is only one leaf of spring, and when the loads are large! Then the beam is placed on the bump stop and everything is clear. The main thing is to make the platform for the bumper larger and even, and I used the bumper itself from a truck trailer (so as not to damage the trailer on the walls). I also have springs from 412 Muscovite. The snowmobile carries 250 kg by itself, I carry a ton on bump stops and by the way it goes smoothly!

I'll tell you how to assemble it for me. I saw this idea from Fiat Ducato, Peugeot Boxer... There is only one leaf of spring, and when the loads are large! Then the beam is placed on the bump stop and everything is clear. The main thing is to make the platform for the bumper larger and even, and I used the bumper itself from a truck trailer (so as not to damage the trailer on the walls). I also have springs from 412 Muscovite. The snowmobile carries 250 kg by itself, I carry a ton on bump stops and by the way it goes smoothly!

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My Peugeot Boxer has 2 sheets.

Now I see that the springs are not positioned correctly! One with the long end going there, the other in the opposite direction. Hello garage, how can you assemble this?

yes, I already corrected this))))) when I was assembling it I got confused and screwed it up wrong and turned it over right away)

Clearly, I was in a hurry. Now you have to turn again...

Two more sheets need to be placed from the Moskvich spring. One with rings, you cut these rings in half (horizontally), this sheet fits exactly under the spring with rings and you take a long second sheet, but we didn’t install the rest and in the end it turned out to be happiness)) Tested on myself. My trailer is strong, there are springs there, two sheets and a ton of them, either for improved springs or for factory strong ones. But what they write about displacement is not true. The springs themselves are weak, and even used, they are tired, modernize the springs and you will be happy.

Travelers need a caravan on a long journey; it allows them to take with them all the necessary things, and there may be a lot of them. Industrial trailers are presented in a wide range, but they have one significant drawback - a fairly high price.

GOST requirements for the parameters of a passenger trailer

If you want the State Traffic Inspectorate to allow you to operate your homemade trailer, you need to make it yourself in accordance with the requirements of GOST 37.001. 220-80 “Trailers for passenger cars.” For those who do not want to read the original source, we will briefly outline the main restrictions imposed by this document on trailers for passenger cars.

List of things needed to make a trailer

If you decide to make a trailer for a car with your own hands, you will need the following parts and materials.

The tools you need are a welding machine, a grinder and an electric drill.

Making a bridge

Fold the channel sections to form a rectangular pipe and tighten them with clamps. Boil the joints. Weld the hub axles to the ends. Attach the resulting bridge beam to the springs using stepladders.

How to register a homemade trailer

A homemade trailer that you can use without fear is necessary. To register you must have:

• Conclusion of a technical examination on the compliance of a self-made vehicle with the requirements of GOST001. 220-80. Where such an examination can be done, you need to check with the MREO. Since a conclusion issued by a laboratory not accredited by the State Traffic Safety Inspectorate may be declared invalid.
• Receipts confirming the purchase of parts and materials used to manufacture the vehicle.
• Certificate for the hitch hinge (this is why we advise you to buy it and not do it yourself).
• A copy of your passport.
• A copy of the vehicle's registration certificate.
• An application addressed to the head of the MREO with a request to register a homemade trailer.
• Receipt for payment of state duty.
• 4 photos of homemade products taken from different sides (size 10 by 15 cm).

If you present all these documents, you will be allowed to undergo technical inspection. A positive inspection result will be the basis for registering a self-made vehicle.

There are times when you definitely need to transport something. If the dimensions of the cargo do not fit into the trunk or interior, then you need to call a special service or acquire your own car trailer. The second option is, of course, better, but where to get it?

Frame welding

Finishing operations

Cover the sides with sheet iron. Make the floor by attaching the plywood to the crossbars with countersunk screws. Cut the wings from sheet iron and attach them to the sides on brackets. Prime and paint the structure. Attach the lights and run the wiring. Make a towbar insurance from a chain or cable. Only after this can you begin registration.

Want a dual axle? Weld 2 bridge beams, buy 4 short springs and install everything so that the distance between the axles is no more than a meter.