trailers with "no" suspension ???

Discussion in 'The Choo-Choo shop' started by leadsled01, Sep 10, 2007.

  1. leadsled01

    leadsled01 Well-Known Member

    Within the last year, I have seen 3 car hauling trailers without any suspension. The first one , I thought there is no way that it would hold up. But after seeing a few more "I don't know". Do you have any experience with them??? It sure would be cheap and easy to build one with no suspension, and a very low deck height.
     
  2. Keith Seymore

    Keith Seymore Well-Known Member

    My Dad and I built this trailer in about 1967 (total cost to build - approx $50:TU: )

    You are correct; a trailer with no suspension is low, stable and lightweight. This trailer has hauled everything from my Chevelle and GTO to my Model A to tractors and swingsets and everything in between.

    It saw regular use up until 2003, when I bought an enclosed trailer, but it still sees some limited use even today.

    K

    [​IMG]
     
  3. leadsled01

    leadsled01 Well-Known Member

    Did you ever have problems with the bearings? Any close up pics?
     
  4. leadsled01

    leadsled01 Well-Known Member

    Anyone else want to chime in here?
     
  5. Keith Seymore

    Keith Seymore Well-Known Member

    Oh - sorry I forgot about your wheel bearing question...

    The short answer is - no - never had any problems.

    The long answer is that it may be a moot point; we used the hubs and backing plates from a 55 Chevy, which are "ball" type roller bearings, rather than a tapered roller bearing.

    The 55 Chevy was chosen, back in the day, because it had a four bolt attachment scheme on the back side. This allowed us to use "I" beams for axles, with a vertical plate on the end. After attaching the hubs we actually took it to an alignment shop, had them set up off the trailer hitch ball and shimmed the wheel alignment to zero toe, zero camber and (naturally) zero caster.

    I can take any detail pictures you might like.

    K
     
  6. leadsled01

    leadsled01 Well-Known Member

    Cool, good info to know. Thanks for your help! Jerry
     
  7. alan

    alan High-tech Dinosaur

    I've towed with both. A trailer with suspension is more forgiving when you hit bumps/potholes or run off the road.
     
  8. leadsled01

    leadsled01 Well-Known Member

    Makes sense, I was more concerned about the longevity of a trailer with no suspension.
     
  9. bob k. mando

    bob k. mando Guest

    open race car trailers typically don't have any suspension as angle of attack on the ramps is critical for a car with a lowered suspension and, often, a custom air box on the front under a lowered nose.
     
  10. Keith Seymore

    Keith Seymore Well-Known Member

    40 years so far... :laugh:
     
    Last edited: Sep 15, 2007
  11. ssw

    ssw Well-Known Member

    I noticed two differences between my old "no suspension" trailer and my newer "suspension" trailer.
    When empty, the no suspension bounced terrible.
    Getting the hitch height and load position was more critical on the no suspension also.
     
  12. leadsled01

    leadsled01 Well-Known Member

    Thanks guys!! No suspension it is.....Where's my welder?
     

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