replacing springs on boat trailer

Brentgale

Recruit
Joined
Aug 20, 2017
Messages
3
Im getting ready to put on new springs, my question is the axle is on bottom of leafs with square u-bolts going over the spring and not the axle itself with plate on bottom, this does not look right, should the u-bolt go over the axle from bottom and have plate on top? see pic

cant post pic


https://imgur.com/a/r90dK
 
Last edited:

jimmbo

Supreme Mariner
Joined
May 24, 2004
Messages
12,944
This is how my spring(broken) was attached at the factory
DSC_0009b.jpg
 

89retta

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jul 18, 2010
Messages
772
Over or under is fine. Just depends how high you want your trailer sitting and if you got proper clearance for your tires. Jimmbo was your trailer new or how long after till your spring broke ?
 

frantically relaxing

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Nov 19, 2011
Messages
699
The 'over/under' isn't the issue, it's the orientation of the U-bolts... I don't think it really matters the way they're oriented, what DOES matter is if the spring and axle are different widths, the U-bolt should wrap the one it fits best...
 

redneck joe

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 18, 2009
Messages
10,198
when I did mine i went under to lower the center of gravity. I also added larger wheels/tires so really needed to. If that is not a concern for you then one thing to consider is I made sure mine was high enough that if I forget to tilt the lower unit up it will not drag.


My thread was fairly inclusive a complete rehab with all sort of stupid questions fomr me. Might run thru it. The pics may not show up for you unless you've added the extension to Chrome for the photobucket workaround



http://forums.iboats.com/forum/gene...ies/trailers-and-towing/8289496-trailer-rehab
 

ahicks

Captain
Joined
Sep 16, 2013
Messages
3,957
Over or under does matter most of the time actually. Most axles have a locating dowel or a flat mounting plate that must be located against the spring, AND the axle is always "cambered" (bowed) up in the center.

To keep the locating dowel/plate against the spring, with the axle cambered/bowed "up", you have no over/under choice. The axle is set up for either over or under. To change it will require welding mods - or a different axle.
 

Brentgale

Recruit
Joined
Aug 20, 2017
Messages
3
thanks for the help guys, my original post was not a question over/ under on the axle but the u-bolts were over spring rather than axle plus the plate was on bottom of axle this axle has dowel on top.. the original set up slid forward on one side plus axles springs were different, im thinking somebody just replaced one.
the trailer sits level now and axle is not cocked forward like before.


axle done pic https://imgur.com/a/6fFBp



old springs https://imgur.com/a/3VhJZ




original setup that slid on spring

https://imgur.com/a/U1UCR
 
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