The Axle-Less system provides a smooth, quiet, safe ride and can eliminate the need for an axle, allowing for maximum ground clearance and a low deck height. Suspension units replace your existing axle and operate independently. Fits any frame width.
Features:
Specs:
Note: The Timbren Axle-Less suspension system may require additional support on your trailer. If your trailer does not have a crossmember above the spot where you want to install the Timbren system, you may need to reinforce the frame. You can accomplish this three ways. First, you can retrofit the trailer with a crossmember. Second, you can build out the trailer frame. Third, you can use standard, 2-inch steel tubing to connect the 2 Timbren suspensions together using the built-in square hole on each unit.
Ride on rubber with Timbren's Axle-Less trailer suspension system. This one-of-a-kind suspension consists of two separate units, each containing rugged steel arms and two strong, hollow rubber springs. Overall, the system safely and effectively absorbs road shock, minimizes trailer bounce and rattle - regardless of load size - and helps to protect your trailer's components and cargo. Built-in camber and toe-in keep your trailer tracking straight to minimize tire wear. Integrated hangers attach to your trailer's frame. And 2-inch holes make it easy to reinforce your trailer's frame by adding standard, 2-inch-square steel tubing (if needed).
The Axle-Less independent suspension system replaces your trailer's existing leaf spring suspension and can eliminate the need for an axle. The independent action of the suspension reduces roll when your trailer is cornering and allows you to maximize ground clearance and minimize deck height. Your trailer can have the same side-to-side clearance as your tow vehicle. And the low deck height makes it easy to load cargo from either the rear or the side.
Because you're riding on rubber, your trailer will ride smoothly and comfortably, whether you're navigating rocky terrain or highway asphalt.
The Axle-Less suspension's progressive spring is a definitive upgrade over leaf springs. Although leaf springs deliver a stable ride when supporting a load, a trailer with leaf springs will bounce and rattle when it's empty or supporting a light or off-center load. On the other hand, your trailer can bottom out on bumpy roads if the load is too heavy. The AEON progressive-rate springs of the Axle-Less suspension always deliver the same reliable performance, no matter the load size. As more weight is added to the trailer, the springs compress and become stiffer, offering more support for heavy loads. And because they rebound more slowly than leaf springs, the AEON springs do a better job of absorbing road shock, thereby keeping your trailer from bouncing and rattling when you're carrying a light load. So with this versatile system you will enjoy a smooth ride whether you're towing an empty trailer or a hefty load.
Unlike leaf springs, Timbren's Axle-Less suspension units operate independently of one another. Each spring activates only when needed. This reduces roll and delivers top-notch performance, even when you're hauling off-center loads. When your trailer with leaf springs takes a turn, one side of the suspension compresses and takes on more weight, and the other side becomes looser and bounces. This causes rattle and can make the trailer lean to one side. But when your trailer with the Axle-Less suspension takes a turn, one side compresses and becomes more rigid to absorb the weight, and the other side expands to normal height to help steady the load and minimize bounce and rattle. The load stays better balanced, even if it is off-center.
Timbren's Axle-Less trailer suspension system is a great alternative to torsion axles. While both systems allow either side of the trailer's suspension to operate independently, only Axle-Less suspensions are actually separate units. Torsion axles still require a bar that spans the bottom of your trailer, whereas Timbren's system can eliminate the need for a thru axle - giving you the same amount of ground clearance from the front of your trailer to the rear. It also allows Axle-Less suspensions to fit any trailer width - unlike torsion axles, which have to be fitted to an exact frame width.
Axle-Less suspensions operate in a smoother, less stressful manner than torsion axles. Torsion axles use a twisting motion, where the bar inside the axle tube rolls against rubber cords or a rubber wall to create compression and resistance. The up-and-down motion of the main spring and the side-to-side motion of the rebound spring in Timbren's Axle-Less suspension work together to provide smooth, consistent compression - with no twisting - that results in a better ride and less stress on the suspension's components.
Whether you are building a trailer or retrofitting your existing trailer with the Axle-Less system, you must make certain that the trailer's frame is both perfectly square and sturdy enough to support a heavy load without the aid of a thru axle.
There are three ways to install the Axle-Less suspension. The easiest method, which is recommended if you are replacing axles on your trailer, is to install a piece of 2-inch-square tubing (sold separately - available at most weld shops) through the integrated hole in the Axle-Less suspension. Then all you need to do is bolt the suspension to the side of the trailer's frame with three bolts (not included).
The second option for installation is to fabricate an inboard extension plate that attaches the trailer's frame to the Axle-Less suspension.
The third method of installation is to bolt the Axle-Less suspension's hanger to the trailer's frame and to an existing crossmember that is in the area where you want to install the suspension.
With both the second and third options, you must use three bolts to attach the suspension to the side of the frame. And you also have to use two or three bolts to attach the suspension to the bottom of the frame extension, or crossmember. Both the second and third methods of installation will eliminate the need for a thru axle and provide the most clearance.
Timbren's Axle-Less suspension units should be installed directly across from one another. Before mounting the units, measure back from the coupler and mark the frame to make sure that the two distance measurements (A and B) are within 1/8 inch of each other. Then you can drill holes through the frame and attach the hangers with Grade-5, half-inch bolts (not included).
The following diagrams show measurements that were taken with electric drum brakes installed on the Timbren Axle-less suspension system.
Alternate Instructions
Videos are provided as a guide only. Refer to manufacturer installation instructions and specs for complete information.
Today we're going to be taking a look at, then we'll show you to install the Timbren Axle-less Trailer Suspension System. These are available in multiple configurations to fit most applications. Just check our website out for details. Today specifically we're going to be using part number ASR3500S05. This is a spindle only configuration for 3,500 pound axles. With the spindle only configuration we're going to be reusing our bearings, we're going to be reusing our brakes and our drums.
You may want to pick up some new seals if you're going to go this route. We also have the full kits available with the brakes, the drums, and everything that you'll need. The Timbren Axle-less Suspension is an excellent, excellent product. You can tell an immediate difference as soon as we start hauling our trailer with the items installed. It's much, much quieter, much smoother, you don't feel the weight in the truck nearly as much as you did with that standard suspension. You can see as we're cornering there's no transfer of weight.
They're working independently to keep our trailer nice and level. Here's what our kit's going to look like installed. This axle-less suspension system from Timbren is kind of a solution for all that noise and everything that we typically get with our trailers; real rough ride. Now, they use 2 rubber springs essentially, they're Aeon rubber springs. We've got our larger one here in the back. This is the main body of the system, and as we load it more and more and more it constantly kind of adapts to that to give us just the ride of support that we need. To keep this constantly under tension so we don't have to ever worry about a lot of that rattling and stuff, we've got a rebound spring right here in the front.
These are designed to work with really any style of trailer frame, no matter of the thickness here. Depending on the application if you've got a really wide trailer, well then you're just going to put the 3 bolts in the side, 3 bolts up through the bottom. We're dealing with a little bit narrower angle channel here, so what we've done is we've put the square tube across the front. You could also design a bracket to go on the side, if you wanted like a gusseted bracket. There's a lot of options out there. We went with the spindle only design.
It's really heavy duty, too. You can really tell about the quality that they've put into the design of it. Going to have a black powder coat finish on all of our surfaces and this real nice thick steel fully welded around all of our points with reinforcement gussets right where we want them. You can just tell it's a really well built system. Another advantage that we're going to see with the axle-less suspension is going to be increased ground clearance. We don't have that axle that typically hangs down here lower. Even with us using the cross tube design or the cross bracing design, it's tucked up right underneath of our trailer. It's even up higher than what our cross members are here for our flooring, so really tucks it up. Then this area down here, you can see smooths off. The axle-less suspension system can also help us with getting our deck height of our trailer where we want it. These are available in both drops and lifts. One of the added benefits that we get out of this axle-less system is that we're not tying this side of the trailer to that side of the trailer with one of those through axles that are going to go right through down here where all our movement's going to actually take place. This allows these to work independently of one another. If we hit a bump on that side it doesn't transfer all the way over here and then cause this side to go too. Now, they've set this up with tow and camber adjustments aligned 00:04:02 already, so we should have great tire wear as we track down the road. However, if need be they do provide us with some nice alignment shims here if we do want to change it up a little bit, or maybe our trailer's frame wasn't exactly square. Another great thing about the Timbren Axle-less Suspension set up is that they use urethane bushings here at our pivot point. It's going to be very very long lasting. It's going to keep everything nice and tight, and we don't have to worry about lubrication. To begin our installation we need to get our factory axle out. Now if you are going to reusing hardware off of the original axle it's best to do it when it's still on the trailer. That way you're not fighting the roll. All right, now you'll notice here on the frame of our trailer, this is our rear spring perch. We've removed the front to allow room. You may have to do that on yours, and there was a couple welds here and then here that kind of stuck out on the frame rail. We've gotten rid of those. Just use a grinder, get it nice and clean. We want a nice smooth surface for this to mount up against. We're going to mock it up now just by bringing this edge up and letting it sit on our trailer. You can see the 3 holes we're going to use for attachment. Now the key to getting this set up properly, you can see we've got some plumb bobs here. Basically it's just a string with a nut tied to the end of it. We've gone off of both of our spindles here in the same location, and then we've gone from the center of our coupler in the front so we've got them at 3 locations. Now we're going to measure from that string back to this string, and then we'll measure from the front over to the other side. It's very important for us to have these within an 1/8 of an inch. What this means is that we've got the perfect triangle from the coupler back to each of our spindles. We won't have to worry about any kind of side tracking. It's going to keep our trailer running straight behind us, and it's going to make sure that we're getting proper tire wear. Adjust as necessary. We want to make sure if you're using plumb bobs that your trailer's level. After that it's just a matter of getting them lined up to where they're going to be just right. We'll measure, mock it up, measure, mock it up, and then once we have it right where we want it we can get our holes drilled. Now we want to take a punch and I'm going to mark the middle of my rear hole. Then we can start stepping up to a 1/2 inch hole diameter is what we want to end up with. We start with just an 1/8 inch and then kind of move up as we go. All right, that created a little too much movement, so we want to get this hole drilled perfectly to get that suspension out of the way and get our hole drilled out. We'll bring it up, slide our bolt through the hole there, and then put our hardware on the inside. That's going to do a good job of holding that in place while we get the rest of our holes marked. I'm going to use a jack stand again here just to apply some upward pressure. I'm going to tighten this nut down temporarily. That's going to draw it right over into position we want to make sure it's pressed up firmly all the way in the front. We don't want any kind of gaping between the top of our enhancement here and the bottom side of our trailer. Now we can use our center punch or our 1/2 inch bit here and get the center of our holes marked. You see I've already mocked up what would be the passenger side of the trailer. Anything I do on this side, I'll do the exact same thing on the other side. Now we're ready to get these pulled down and we'll get our holes drilled out. All right, now with those holes drilled out let's get our suspension back up into place here. What I want to do is just get these 3 started and I'm going to get them snugged down. This isn't a permanent mount, so we don't want to torque them all down. We've got to measure for that cross tube. We're going to be using this opening here for a 2 inch by 2 inch cross tube section that's going to give us additional strength. There's a few options on the additional strengthening process that you can check out in the instructions. That's mainly for just like the trailer that we've got here, just your simple utility trailer that just has an angle iron frame. If you see channels and things like that, typically once we're putting these on the heavy-dutier trailers there's going to be plenty of thickness in the frame. You really don't have to worry about having that cross tube. Now to figure out how long of a pipe that we're going to need here we're just going to measure inside to inside. There's going to be a couple little lips there. Right here there's a little bit of a lip. We just want our pipes to sit just inside of those, and we'll want our square tube to fit right inside of that. Now with our pipe cut to size all we'll need to do is slide it in all the way across, and we'll want to make sure that it engages our other side as well. All right, that's held in place there kind of by those little lips we saw in each end. We need to get our bolt holes here marked so we can drill our holes and install our hardware. Those should be marked so let's pull our tube back out of there, get those holes drilled, and we can put it back in. Now we can get our center punches taken care of here. Just like before we'll just step up our bit size as we go, makes it a little bit easier. Now with the tube back in we'll take our hardware, got kind of a tight squeeze here but we're just going to place that through. Place that flat washer inside of there on the bolt, then we need to get our nut started. One of these little flexible magnets is a really good way that bolts quite a ways back in there. If you've got a different method that works for you, great. My fingers won't reach in there. Maybe a pair of needle-nose you could get to work in there. These little magnets are pretty readily available and pretty handy to have, so that would be my recommendation. We'll just leave that one loosely installed. Now we're going to take our other bolt, we want to place it through both of our holes but we don't want to have it poked all the way through. What we're going to do is have that stay there as we get our spindles torqued down, as we get our brackets to our frame torqued down. Then we'll torque down our inside bolt, then we'll be able to get to this and torque this down. We'll just at that point either thread it in by hand or with a wrench, put our stuff on it and get it torqued. If we we're to leave this out completely so we could get to that back bolt, it's likely that our holes would then be slightly misaligned and it would be real difficult to get it in. Now we want to look in the instructions and find our torque specifications and we want to go through and torque everything down in the appropriate order to those specifications. I had these pretty snug when we we're doing the install just so we wouldn't have to worry about any movement or anything with the spindle. With those done we'll move up to the 3 here in the side. Once those are properly torqued we'll go to the ones that we've got inside of our tube. With everything torqued down that's really all there is to the install. I would here on this cut piece of tubing, just a little bit of black spray paint there. Just kind of seal that up, prevent any rusting there. Then, depending on your set up if you're using, if this is on a braking axle then you'll put your brakes back on your flange and then rebuild your hub per the instructions. If this is on a lighter-duty trailer and if you don't have brakes then you're just going to rebuild your idler here. Good time to replace the seals, repack the bearings, inspect those bearings, or just order a new kit to fit right on here and then you'll know you're going to be safe as you go down the road. All right, now we'll lower it down until the tires touch the ground and you'll want to be sure to use a torque wrench and get all of your lugs torqued down appropriately. That's going to complete our look at the line of the Timbren Axle-less Trailer Suspension Systems.
Average Customer Rating: 4.6 out of 5 stars (119 Customer Reviews)
The Axle-Less system provides a smooth, quiet, safe ride and can eliminate the need for an axle, allowing for maximum ground clearance and a low deck height. Suspension units replace your existing axle and operate independently. Fits any frame width.
I installed these on a small jeep style camping trailer that I built. I plated my frame and also used the suggested two inch square tubing to tie them together. It rides very well, looks like it should be very durable, it's a simple design, simple to install, more economical than other independent systems, has less parts to go bad than other systems, I would highly recommend to any body using a trailer on rough roads! 582196
PhilTreeMan - 11/20/2019Everything came really fast, quicker than we had anticipated and in one piece. The email notifications on shipping were great and accurate as well. The only thing I would point out, if you order AKHD-655-35-EZ-K Trailer Hub and Drum Assembly - 3,500-lb E-Z Lube Axles - 10" Diameter - 6 on 5-1/2 it is not a set, it just one drum assembly. 473672
I mounted these axels on my off road trailer, this trailer has 37" tires (same as my jeep) tracks perfectly on the road at 60 - 70 mph, Last summer I pulled this trailer on the Rubicon trail were while on the rocks the lean angle was so extream my trailer turned over on its side, when I winched my trailer back on its wheels all the weight of the trailer was on one axel. Timbren Axle-Less trailer axels are so well built and strong nothing bent, everything stayed intact. There is no sag in these axels as well. I could not be more pleased with the Timbren axels. 630861
Very well-made very impressed I’ve made many trailers the first time I’ve tried the system My choice for good off-road trailers . as far as there professional ability to get what you need and if something wrong they cracked it faster than you can think about it . 576030
Review from a similar Timbren Axle-Less in Trailer Leaf Spring Suspension
I pull my Sea Doo GTX 300 (that means they are pretty heavy!) PWC's from Wisconsin to Florida twice a year. That said, this last trip to Florida caused me to bend the original straight axle on my trailer. Not fun. I ordered the Timbress Axle -less axles, and after a few hours of work on the trailer, they were installed, square and true. I immediately put the Sea Doos on the trailer to see how the trailer performs with the new axle-less system on it. one word: FANTASTIC!!!! I guarantee if I have to fix this issue again, I will use the exact same product. It is awesome! 736299
Review from a similar Timbren Axle-Less in Trailer Leaf Spring Suspension
Built a custom trailer to haul an ATV on some bad rural roads in Baja. I used the 2" drop axel-less suspension to allow for full size tires and wheels yet keep center of gravity low. Easy to install on exposed frame, but note that a required brace or 2" square steel bar may be needed and sourced on your own. The finish is not very durable and does not survive the normal bumps, wrench scrapes and scratches of installation; plan on some touch up once installed. Pay attention to the spindle clearance and wheel offset. 317250
Review from a similar Timbren Axle-Less in Trailer Leaf Spring Suspension
Extremely good product. Rides much better than traditional leaf springs. Ordering. A 7,000lb 8 lug set for the big trailer. 593860
Review from a similar Timbren Axle-Less in Trailer Leaf Spring Suspension
Built very rugged. I am glad this is available because all the 2K axles I found were not wide enough for my application. This setup allowed me to keep expenses down and build the trailer I wanted. 326161
Review from a similar Timbren Axle-Less in Trailer Leaf Spring Suspension
I am pleased with the Timbren Axle-Less Trailer Suspension System with Hubs - 5 on 4-1/2 - Off-Road Tires - 1,200 lbs. I had a project and it worked out just fine. 254872
Review from a similar Timbren Axle-Less in Trailer Leaf Spring Suspension
The suspension I ordered is of high quality and I received it sooner than I expected , its good to do business with a company that produces its products so fast. 271528
Review from a similar Timbren Axle-Less in Trailer Leaf Spring Suspension
Had a broken torsion axle on dual axle boat trailer. Manufacter six to eight weeks to replace. Got this product in week. Installed same day. Very happy .cancelled new Axel order. 263087
Review from a similar Timbren Axle-Less in Trailer Leaf Spring Suspension
Timbren Axle-Less Suspension - Spindle Only - Regular Tires - 5200 lbs Item # ASR5200S01 Looks great on empty trailer, idea is good, bad execution. When loaded tires "splay out" severely, excessive tire wear, obviously too much play in system somewhere. 584361
Mike L - 11/21/2018Review from a similar Timbren Axle-Less in Trailer Leaf Spring Suspension
I was amazed at the attention given to me and my order. I was kept up to date untill my order arrived, it also arrived a few days before the expected time. The axle less system looks to be so much easier to install and more functional than the regular spring suspension. If compared by cost and labor to the other spring system, I find that this is considerably less. I have yet to install it, but will send photo of finished product as soon as possible. 178367
Review from a similar Timbren Axle-Less in Trailer Leaf Spring Suspension
Good product and easy to install on my new build of a off road trailer for my side by side. Thanks 628307
Review from a similar Timbren Axle-Less in Trailer Leaf Spring Suspension
Purchased 2 sets of the Timbren 1200 Axle-less systems for upgrading the suspension on an older 30' ft glider trailer. Single axle with small (13") tires made towing tough due to porpoising, dragging on drive entrances do to poor flotation; also German made and metric, no repair parts. GVW 2000 lbs equated to bouncy ride. Dual sets now allow the trailer to ride over bumps and sharp inclines easily, smoothly, little bounce on country roads; porpoising is history. My glider now rides securely, safely, quietly. Install time 4 1/2 hours (includes head-scratching). Results are outstanding, units are totally solid. Recommend the square tube interconnect, easy and quick - trailer frame was on the light side, so a precautionary fix. Clean look underneath. Ordered 5 wheels w/tires, very nice. Helpful neighbor so impressed he ordered a HD single set for his new DIY snowmobile trailer. Customer satisfaction 100%, from phone order, online support, product information, immediate shipping, install instructions, followup... HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! 580744
Review from a similar Timbren Axle-Less in Trailer Leaf Spring Suspension
Great looking parts, robust design, professional looking welds....Nothing missing... I contacted Timbren prior to my purchase and received a prompt, helpful reply... The supplied instructions are complete and straight forward, i'm confident should i have any issues, contacting them will get them resolved... 286117
Review from a similar Timbren Axle-Less in Trailer Leaf Spring Suspension
I was looking for a low profile axle system for my motorcycle trailer. The primary requirement was to be able to load my motorcycle by myself which required a low-profile trailer. With the 4" drop provided by Timbren, this setup turned out great. I originally intended on using ramps but after I swapped the leaf spring axle out with the Timbren, I found I was able to ride my motorcycle on/off without the need for the ramps. Originally, I was going to go axle-less but I found when torquing down the assembly to my frame it started to compress the aluminum rail. To take the pressure off the frame I added the 2" bar from axle to axle. Pulls smooth and effortlessly. I've had several people comment on the trailer height with one wanting to buy the trailer from me. This person worked at the local Honda Dealership. He thought it was a great design and I would imagine he's seen a variety of trailers come through his lot. The other option I considered was a torsion axle but I was looking for the lowest profile I could get. Therefore, cost was not a key factor. I also like the soft ride the Timbren system provides. Not sure if the torsion design would have been as smooth over bumpy roads. Regardless, I'm pleased with how this project came out. 352952
Pat A - 03/15/2018Review from a similar Timbren Axle-Less in Trailer Leaf Spring Suspension
Only been driving around on the axle-less system for about a week now and it has far exceeded expectations. I get better gas mileage, my trailer now sits like it was intended to, my trailer doesn't bounce like it used to, I wouldn't trade this axle system for any other. Just wish I would have known which outboard assembly arm my trailer needed with the axle-less system before I placed my order. Still not a problem though, plan on using the wrong outboard arm to build a different trailer. So far, a great product! 208571
Review from a similar Timbren Axle-Less in Trailer Leaf Spring Suspension
Excellent, helpful customer service sold me this product, and trust me when I say it's worth the price tag. Pulled the old axle and leaf spring off a 60's era Bantam and swapped out for this with a support bar in between. Bumped up tires to 315/75r16 BFG TA/KO's to match my rig and am amazed at how much better this trailer now pulls. Empty it wad bouncing all over the place with the old axle and leaf spring setup. Now I hardly even know it's there. Was very easy to install, took a couple hours but I am happy with how it turned out. A+++ product and customer service! 172019
Matt N - 02/06/2016Review from a similar Timbren Axle-Less in Trailer Leaf Spring Suspension
This is my favorite suspension system in all the world! Rides like an absolute dream. Easy to set up and install. Works on any trailer frame size. One thing to know: You don't get the ride height you get with a standard leaf spring suspension. Even with 15-inch wheels, the ride height is pretty low - maybe 10-12 inches of ground clearance to the bottom of the main trailer frame. If you need more ride height, get the lifted version. A few areas of possible improvement? It's difficult to bolt the suspension unit to a crossmember using the middle bolted hole, which uses a tacked-on weld nut. You have zero room for error when drilling the hole through your cross member, and you can't really use the suspension as a template. Hmmm ... also, the hanger plate mounting holes are positioned 1-inch from the bottom of the trailer frame. That makes it very difficult, since I use channel side rails, to use standard 1/2-inch USS or SAE washers on the backside. There isn't room. Just an extra 1/4 of a inch would allow me to use standard washers underneath the nuts on a channel frame. Nitpicking aside, it's amazing. 410020
Review from a similar Timbren Axle-Less in Trailer Leaf Spring Suspension
Everything was as advertised! Fast shipping and well packaged! And good quality. And the best part, they respond very fast to my emails!! very nice! Don't think all be using my local retailers anymore. 556069
Review from a similar Timbren Axle-Less in Trailer Leaf Spring Suspension
We buy a number of things from E trailer and have always found there support and online cataloging very helpfull. 318927
Review from a similar Timbren Axle-Less in Trailer Leaf Spring Suspension
not happy with one lug nut missing threads!!! but I think they also could supply the wedge plate! the horizontal holes never change and the lower vertical should be slots. for the money I shouldn't have to make a plate. 202996
Review from a similar Timbren Axle-Less in Trailer Leaf Spring Suspension
A little bit pricey, at first. But in the long run they are cheaper. We used to bend or break an axle every 3 or 4 months. But we have had these a couple of years now with no problems. One thing that is nice is on a tandem axle set up you can get a flat and you just have to take the wheel off and run on 3 or 2 wheels without the hubs hitting the ground. 593458
Review from a similar Timbren Axle-Less in Trailer Leaf Spring Suspension
Only axle I could find to fit my application. Very cool product. Fast delivery. Easy instructions 642073
Do you have a question about this Trailer Leaf Spring Suspension?
Info for this part was:
At etrailer.com we provide the best information available about the products we sell. We take the quality of our information seriously so that you can get the right part the first time. Let us know if anything is missing or if you have any questions.
Thank you! Your comment has been submitted successfully. You should be able to view your question/comment here within a few days.
Error submitting comment. Please try again momentarily.