Three weeks to go & we're off!!
Submitted: Saturday, Mar 10, 2007 at 21:02
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<span class="highlight">Ozrover</span>
Just three weeks to go before we are off on our trip around Oz.
Finally cleared out the garage (trail bikes, quad bike & assorted gear relocated) thought I'd have a good look under the camper at the
suspension & maybe replace the shocks!!
Nope, original leaf springs & shocks stuffed, can't find replacement springs on short notice so buy longer Al-Ko off road springs from CAMEC.
Spent the last two days grinding off the old spring mounts & welding on the new ones (how I hate welding upside down!!) lots of welding burns later it's almost done, just have to mount bump stops for the new springs.
Just one question for the knowledgeable, how far from the top of the leaf spring should the bump stop be located? I'm thinking maybe half way, (approx' 80mm).
any thoughts appreciated. 8 )>
Reply By: Im.away - Saturday, Mar 10, 2007 at 21:10
Saturday, Mar 10, 2007 at 21:10
I have no idea about the bump stops, but I did observe your fine looking vehicle. Bet she goes anywhere.
AnswerID:
226637
Follow Up By: Ozrover - Saturday, Mar 10, 2007 at 21:15
Saturday, Mar 10, 2007 at 21:15
Im.away
So far so good, she's taken us anywhere that we want to go with very little fuss.
Hopefully she keeps on doing so for as long as we keep wanting to go to different
places in this wide brown land.
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Reply By: Member - Axle - Saturday, Mar 10, 2007 at 21:15
Saturday, Mar 10, 2007 at 21:15
Ozrover, Hate those overhead welds myself!, hope you used low hydrogen rods forthe strenght factor, rough roads &stress points!? Streeeeeesss.!
Cheers Axle.
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Ozrover - Saturday, Mar 10, 2007 at 21:22
Saturday, Mar 10, 2007 at 21:22
Gerday Axle.
MIG is my weapon of choice for welding, I tried to put as much strength into the welds as possible (multiple passes) but from experience, If we take it easy on the worst bits of road then all should hold together.
I it doesn't then I'll be rebuilding it on the side of the track, or in some friendly farmers shed! (been there before)
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Reply By: Mad Dog - Vic - Saturday, Mar 10, 2007 at 21:35
Saturday, Mar 10, 2007 at 21:35
halfway is good I reckon you'll go far, enjoy your trip
AnswerID:
226648
Reply By: Bilbo - Sunday, Mar 11, 2007 at 00:44
Sunday, Mar 11, 2007 at 00:44
I'll assume that your trailer has the normal leaf springs with the normal rear swinging shackles???
If so, try to estimate to place the bump stop before the rear swinging shackle flattens itself fully. If the swinging shackle is constantly flattening itself, it will break the spring eye - back or front. Hitting the bump stop first prevent this.
That's how I set up my trailers when I've built 'em.
Overhead welding? Terrible job! Use a big rod, keep the currrent high as you can and run it in fast as ya can.
Bilbo
AnswerID:
226677
Follow Up By: Ozrover - Sunday, Mar 11, 2007 at 09:27
Sunday, Mar 11, 2007 at 09:27
Gerday Bilbo.
Yep they are 9 leaf eye to eye Al-Ko off road shackle springs, I've set it up so that at full drop, the shackle is at about 75 deg angle forward of the spring hanger, with the weight of the trailer on, the shackle moves to about 80 deg past the spring hanger.
My problem is that I don't know how much
the springs will move under full compression, so I'll take a punt & set the bump stop at the mid point between the top of the spring & the chassis rail.
I,ve built a couple of off road box trailers before & never bothered with bump stops, I've also broken quite a few springs while travelling on very rough roads (i.e.Battle
Camp Road
Cape York, The road to Cadelga
ruins SA) I've never had a problem off road with them.
Most broken springs come after receiving a BIG hit from a wash away, or large pothole (the reason for bump stops), the corrugations just rattle everything loose!
Thanks for that, I'm off to do some more upside down welding. 8 (>
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Follow Up By: Ozrover - Sunday, Mar 11, 2007 at 20:45
Sunday, Mar 11, 2007 at 20:45
All done.
Finished up this morning, took the camper for a
test drive, rides much better than before, found a few big bumps & no problems, doesn't quite touch the bump stops & smooth as.
Very happy, now what else can i weld upside down?? 8 )>
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