New trailer has noisy springs.

[Mark42]

I put about 15 hours towing on my new Load Rite trailer with open eye leaf springs. The darn thing squeeked horrably until I sprayed some chain lube around the ends of the springs. Now it is almost silent.<br /><br />Why don't they grease these things up at the factory/dealer? Did I make a mistake lubing it up?

 

[Scaaty]

Re: New trailer has noisy springs.

No mistake, and in fact keep the whole thing oiled up...you keep sticking it in water ya know!

 

[Winger Ed.]

Re: New trailer has noisy springs.

Grease/oil attracts & holds dirt,,,, which may be bad, or may not really matter depending on how many thousand miles you plan to pull that trailer.<br /><br />It almost sounds like the springs may be one size too small or lite for your load. If the springs are really squeaking, it means they are really flexing or bouncing up & down.<br /><br />Watch other trailers going down the road, the springs don't really flex much unless they hit a big! bump. If they don't flex much, they won't squeak much either.<br /><br />The up side of the squeak/flex is that the load is being cushioned and not pounded with a bunch of impact loading or shock as you go down a rough road.<br /><br /><br />Something you might try to find is nylon pad/ inserts that go in between the leafs. That's how they've quieted down pick-up truck springs on these new generation luxury trucks. <br /><br />They have to flex a fair amount in order to ride smooth, but we expect them to be quiet too.

 

[Mark42]

Re: New trailer has noisy springs.

OK!

 

[DustyJacket]

Re: New trailer has noisy springs.

I use a spritz of WD-40 every now and then.

 

[starrider_68]

Re: New trailer has noisy springs.

winger.. those nylon inserts.. where can I find some for a 3 leaf slipper eye single axel? I have an '88 Performance Trailer set up for 2 pwc. It squeaks like hell but the springs are 2x rated for current load. (3750# springs - 1900-2000 load)and I am getting tired of wiping grease off of the hulls. I dont use much but it does still get on the paint.

 

[Winger Ed.]

Re: New trailer has noisy springs.

Originally posted by starrider_68:<br /> winger.. those nylon inserts.. where can I find some for a 3 leaf slipper eye single axel?

The new generation trucks have a hole at the end of the spring they fit into.<br /><br />A couple of suggestions:<br /><br />Make your silencers from a real heavy soap bottle or something. Glue, or mabe tie-wrap them down to one side of a leaf. If you're not trailering very far, they might last a season or two.<br /><br />Another idea that might work is to melt a big candle and brush the wax onto the springs where the contact each other. All a candle or even crayons are is real thick grease. That might work without attracting dirt, and not fly off making a mess on the hull. <br /><br />If you jack up the frame, the leafs should open up enough to do whatever you choose to do between them.

 

[starrider_68]

Re: New trailer has noisy springs.

winger, thanks for the input. think I will try the candle thing for now. I have a buddy that works at autozone (auto parts store) he thinks he can find something for me. said that there used to be a company that made aftermarket "rubbing blocks" for early model ford 4wd front springs. says they should work. I will let you know.

 

[jlshields]

Re: New trailer has noisy springs.

I tried the teflon pads from a shop that does truck springs but they wouldn't stay in without the hole in the end of the leaf. So I jacked the trailer up at the frame to relax the springs then used a grease injector, looks like a hypodermic needle with a zerk on the end, to grease between the leaves. It's quiet for now. I use the injector thing when I repack wheel bearings too.

 

[Mark42]

Re: New trailer has noisy springs.

Just an update... <br /><br />The squeaks on my trailer came from the C open end of the spring rubbing on its bushing. I greased up that area and the noise went away... for a few weeks. Now I just shoot a little chain lube in there before every trip. <br /><br />The leafs themselvs were not squeaking.

 

[Lou C]

Re: New trailer has noisy springs.

I put new leafs on my old 94 Loadrite 2 years ago and smeared trailer wheel bearing grease all over them, no squeaks and no rust either, even after numerous dunkings in salt water.