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Converting slipper springs to shackles ?

Submitted: Wednesday, Nov 04, 2009 at 21:25

Member - Lionel A (WA)

To the engineering minded,

Been running slippers on the camper trailer for some time and havent had any problems, however, have always been keen on shackled units.

I've worked out a bracket/bushe/shackle set-up, but wondering if welding to the spring would affect it in any way, ie tensile strength etc.


Cheers.....Lionel.

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Great minds think alike.
Simple minds seldom differ.
ThreadID: 73532 Replies: 4
Views: 502 FollowUps: 1
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AnswerID: 390026   Submitted: Wednesday, Nov 04, 2009 at 21:58

pop2jocem replied:

G'day Lionel,

I'm not exactly an "engineering type", just a common garden variety mechanic but FWIW I think you would need springs with the top one or two leaves formed into an eye to take your rubber or urethane (spelling??) bushes in a similar way that your Nissan has (assuming it has leaf and not coil). I don't think welding to the leaves directly would be a good idea as this would affect the heat treatment of the spring steel and may cause it to fail.

Just my very humble opinion

Cheers
Pop
Reply 1 of 4
AnswerID: 390030   Submitted: Wednesday, Nov 04, 2009 at 23:46

nsngood replied:

Why would you weld to the springs unless you are reuseing them? Do yourself a flavour and go to trailer parts and they will supply you with the entire kit.
the only welding you should have to do is to install new brackets for the rear spring hanger (shackle ?)
Reply 2 of 4
AnswerID: 390037   Submitted: Thursday, Nov 05, 2009 at 06:40

Member - Kiwi Kia replied:

Hi Lionel, Buy new springs.
To answer your question - you will affect the high tensile metal spring if you weld it. Murphy would be laughing and the chance of a catastrophic failure when you least expect it would be very high :-))

KK
Reply 3 of 4
AnswerID: 390049   Submitted: Thursday, Nov 05, 2009 at 08:12

Member - Lionel A (WA) replied:

Thanks gentlemen,

Have a vague knowledge about working with tempered steel.
Being an avid DIY'er always enjoy modifying stuff, then watching it break...lol.

Off to Martins Trailers on the weekend.


Cheers.....Lionel.

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Great minds think alike.
Simple minds seldom differ.
Reply 4 of 4
FollowupID: 657840   Submitted: Thursday, Nov 05, 2009 at 12:06

mowing posted:

Hi Lionel, I changed my eye to eye springs from 7 leaf to 9 leaf with springs from Martins and they were about $80 each. At that price you could carry a spare pack. The only thing that I don't like about them is they are not very long.

Cheers

Mark
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