Just wondering which people prefer spring suspension or torsion arm? Springs are easier to repair by the side of the road but torsion arm gives a lower ride to an equipment trailer.

 

I prefer the Torflex all the way.

Better ride, ground clearance, and many different hieght options depending angle of axle selected.

They also serve as an additional crossmember.

The only downside I can think of aside from cost is the trailer needs to be towed level as they don't equalize the load between the axles.

 

I'm used to springs but am considering using torsion arm on the next trailer I build, I realized that each axle runs independently and doesn't equalize the load but how well does it tow with an uneven load on the trailer. My buddy has one and uses it for a bob cat and tracked back hoe but he only travels short distances, my trips are 3000k round trip. I didn't realize that the axles came with different ride heights I'll have to talk to the axle manufacturer a little more.

 

Look here:http://dexteraxle.com/i/u/1080235/f/...-05_80_res.pdf The chart gives you frame hieghts with a given tire. This makes it really easy to decide if you know what tire and frame hieght you want.

I would think loading evenly would be a little more crtical with Torflex, but it is critical with any trailer.

I really like the silence of the Torflex over the spring suspension.

 

Thanks for the link cooter, I plan on using 16 inch 8 bolt on 6.5 inch pitch rims with the 245/75/16 stock tires, the same as on the truck. The axles I was looking at were 7000lb springs, I think the torsion ones with that bolt pattern were rated much higher. Either way it's back to the manufacturer I think you sold me on the torsion ones though as it would mean a much lower trailer deck.

 

A friend of mine owns a tire shop and sells trailers there as well. I asked him the same question and he said it comes down to how much you travel off-road. As mentioned above they do not equallize the load so if you have to cross a curb then you may have ALL of the load on one side of one axle and that can't be good if you are pulling your buddies bobcat for instance. I don't know how true this is but it certainly makes sense. I bought a trailer w/ springs after I talked to him. Just my .02.


Taver

 

springs handle any load better than torflex.

That said. Off road, use springs, lots of rough road, use springs, not sure exactly how to position a load, use springs.

Spring ride suspension is very forgiving. Yes it is noisy, and there is some maintenance to be done, however, if you;ve ever had a poorly loaded torflex suspended trailer throw you all over the road, you can understand why springs with equalizers are better.

Now, torflex does have its place. Bobcat trailers, where deck height is a primary consideration, and where you don't do a whole lot of off road work, they shine in that application. Plus the bobcat is heavy enough to make them ride smooth. Torflex suspension, when running empty, rides much like the proverbial lumber wagon. When running empty on the highway, it tends to buck and jerk enough to affect the tow vehicle.

the point about one wheel end taking all of the weight on a torflex, is 100% valid. I have seen this happen, and generally, you end up replacing not just one, but both axles. the reason for this, is torflex axles take a 'set' after a while, and if you replace only one, in the event of a failure, that axle will sit higher than the other one, same setting or not. this leads to an overlaoded condition on the newer axle.

When running a tridem trailer, springs are the only way to go, for the same reasons as above, better load equalization, smoother ride, and very few manufacturers will recommend a triple torflex setup.

Just some food for thought.

 

Although I don't do much off road with the trailer it does go off road at the farm if we are loading a piece of equipment and roads up here are sometimes washboard gravel. On a recent trip to Manitoba on very poor roads under construction I broke a spring on the way back loaded with a small Massey tractor. Easy fix changed the spring and on my way again. Maybe I'll stay with the springs and give a little deck height, cheaper also. Thanks for all your input.

 

"I prefer the Torflex all the way. "

Will we hear that again once one of them needs replacing?

 

I've been in the RV/Trailer Biz a long time.....16 years. The only Torflex axle I've had to replace involved a collision with a bridge.

You guys could be right about the weak points, but in my area, they have given good servince and I would not hesitate to use them in my own rig.

In fact, I have been thinking of replacing the axle in the travel trailer w/ torflex.

I guess take your chances!

 

I agree. I've worked on several high-mile, heavily loaded commercial trailers and never seen a failure on a Torflex axle. Seen too many leaf sprung trailers that had worn the shackle bolts half way through, and also hate the noise a leaf sprung trailer makes especially through a campground.

 

Well I picked up 2 8 bolt 7000# axles with 12 inch brakes and 8000# springs with poly half bushings. My plan was to use the same rims and tires off the stock truck to avoid carrying 2 spares but the off set on the factory rims was too much and would have put me way over the legal limit of 102 inches so I ended up having to buy 5 rims and tires as well. Next to the steel yard then it's time to "burn some rod".