Trailer w/no Springs?

[Iplayfarmer]

I went to look at a trailer today that I was considering for bringing my old Oliver 70 tractor home from where I bought it (about 20 miles away). My home brew tilt deck trailer is narrower than the wheels on the tractor.

This trailer I was looking at is adequately heavy. It's home built, but seems well done. I was especially excited about how low it was until I noticed that the axles are welded directly to the frame. There are no springs on this trailer!

I'm interested in opinions about how this would work. What are the risks of pulling a trailer without springs?

 

[ToadHill]

Don't put a lot of air in the tires, they will flex and take up a lot of the bumps.

 

[Soundguy]

is that oliver 70 not on adjustable rims?

not the first time I've hade to invert rims to get a tractor loaded..

soundguy

 

[Skyco]

The spring/axle manufacturers say you have to derate the axle capacity a lot if no suspension is used.
For me it would have to be real cheap and not used much to go that way, and that is if it is a single axle trailer, if it is tandem axles I'd pass for sure..it is not possible to properly equalize weight on rigid tandems. My :2cents: worth.

 

[Hematite]

Are they TorFlex axles? They are supposed to be attached directly to the frame.
http://dexteraxle.com/i/u/1080235/f/product_flyers/Torflex_11-06.pdf

 

[Diamondpilot]

I have seen it done before but would not want to tow it.

Chris

 

[Wis Bang]

After college I worked for a construction company. The small [1 - 5 ton] rollers and the concrete saws all had lo profile trailers where the axles were welded directly to the frame. They all had large tires but were easy to load...

 

[RobertN]

I used one a few years ago. Aweful! Never again.... Was hauling a 9N for my Dad; he had arranged the trailer; I did not have my trailer then. He shoulda rented a trailer. We got the tractor home no problem, but it didn't handle worth a darn. Especially empty...

I have seen it done before but would not want to tow it.

Chris

 

[JakeBrake]

I inherited a trailer built with house trailer wheels and house trailer girters, no springs. My father-in-law used it for many years to transport hay rolls short distances. No license tag necessary. Now, the trailer is parked in the barn. The tires have rotted. Once in a while I look at it and think I ought to do something with it, but I soon get over that.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

Thanks for all the input. I'm leaning heavily toward saying no to the trailer. If I did get it, I'd probably use it to haul the tractor 20 miles to home and then put springs under it and sell it. The guy has some springs. Right now the debate in my head is, "How cheap does it need to be in order to be worth it?"

 

[saltbranch]

I'd pass on that one, by the time you have spring perchs welded,springs bolted up. Dont forget you would have to have the axles cut from the frame, really and truly you would be rebuilding the trailer to add suspension to it. Depending the cut you would lose the axle or frame integrity.

 

[steve08]

Had one like that 8'x16' Dbl axle no springs...Fine with a load...
Empty it went down the road like a Basket Ball! No matter how much air ya let out of the Tires. Thing would literally beat it's self to pieces

 

[LD1]

First, I'd double check that it isn't a torsion axle as already mentioned.

Second, if the price is right, and you go very slow, you will be just fine getting the tractor home and then you can use the trailer for other stuff.

We have biult ourselvs 3 homemade trailers over the last 6-8 years. They were built for the sole purpose of hauling firewood. And all of them were build with steel we already had and old 3/4 ton truck axles welded solid. This gave us as low a deck height as possible. They also have 35x12.5R16.5 tires on them. This helps them roll easy and cushion the load. They tow just fine up to 25mph which is how fast dads 8n with the sherman will go on the road. This is empty @ about 2500lbs or loaded with 3/4 cord of wood @ ~4k more.

We have also huled a ZTR mower on the one trailer about 10miles. Didn't go over 35MPH and it was fine.

So it all depends on the roas you will be towing on, and if you have anything you can use the trailer for in the furure like hauling wood. If it is out in the sticks with some really rough roads I'd pass. But if the roads are smooth, and you can get good use out of the trailer in the future, and the price is right, why not.

 

[Runner]

I have a low-boy that my Dad built about 40 years ago. More of a cart than a trailer, but it is licensed and I have used it for years. As stated before, it's not too bad with low air pressure and a load, but is off the ground half the time when it's empty.

Now, I use it primarily as a yard cart, but it still does see occaisional street use to haul non-breakable stuff.

That being said, I would not pay money for a trailer without springs to be used on the street.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

First, I'd double check that it isn't a torsion axle as already mentioned...

I forgot to mention in my last reply that I checked and double checked the axles to see if they were torsion axles. They aren't.

 

[Diamondpilot]

You know, I forgot that I once towed a car when in college down to Florida from Indiana using a car dolly. It did fine but on the way down but on the way home without a car on it it was awful. We stopped at a truck stop and had a guy there put it in the bed of the truck with a fork lift for the rest of the ride home. That thing was off the ground more than on without a car on it. It had no springs either.

Chris

 

[travis potter]

Most car dollies do not have springs,they reliy on the car springs. Mine will go 2ft in the air when empty, lots of fun but its low and easy to losd the dune buggie on. I very seldem pull it empty.

 

[ultrarunner]

I've towed many thousands of miles with a single axle, production built spring-less trailer made in Oakland CA in 1964. It is rated for #4000 pound gross and was used since new in the family car business... Tow vehicles back in the 60s and 70's were almost always big GM wagons with a 455 V-8 or similar.

Absolutely zero problems and tows like a dream... easy to tilt... but, almost never necessary because the load height is much lower without springs... just back-up to a drive way curb cut and load.

Proper Tire air pressure for the load is critical.

A portable air tank is part of the trailer.

Empty 15 to 18 psi

Loaded 35 to 38 psi

with 8-ply and later 6-ply non-radial trailer tires.

This trailer has towed mustangs coast to coast and some exotics like a 66 GT40 and Lotus Super 7

I do agree that it would have to be cheap in comparison to some of the nice new trailers I see available used today available from $1,000 to $1,500.

 

[grnspot110]

My first trailer was a homemade 5' X 10" heavy single axle on car tires. Worked fine for up to 1-1/2 ton load. although I now have three "spring" trailers, my torsion is the way to go! ~~ grnspot110

 

[deepNdirt]

:thumbsup:My Pa-in-law purchased a 21 ft. rigged dual axle trailer about 2 months ago, it was a well built Home built race car trailer and low to the road, although for some reason the builder of this trailer offset the axles one lower than the other so when being pulled empty only one set of wheels are touching the payment, he needed a trailer to haul junk and old cars to the scrap yard, although most of the junk he hauls weighs under 5-600 lbs and he said he has to be sure to tie everything down good or it will bounce of the trailer, said that it does do much better with the 1 car he has towed now with realizing he has more junk loads than car hauling he has decided to part way with this trailer and buy him a smaller factory built one,