Are Trailer Leaf Spring Shackles Supposed to be Angled or Totally Straight

Question

Question:

Starting with the equalizer support welded in the same location as the old ones are the shackles supposed to completely vertical or at a angle . Im going to mock it up on the frame then weld it into place. I have my trailer up side down to make it easier. thanks

asked by: George

1

Helpful Expert Reply:

You want leaf spring shackles to be at a slight angle as that prevents the springs from flipping around to the other side of the equalizer over uneven terrain.

I attached a picture that shows what the angle is typically like.

expert reply by: Jameson C

1

click to enlarge

Brandon

8/27/2024

Hello I saw the photo you attached for this question. If I have a single axle trailer are the shackles towards the back of the boat supposed to be angled toward the axle or towards the rear of the trailer?? Thank you

Jameson C.

8/27/2024

@Brandon The easiest way for me to describe it would if you were looking at a trailer that had the front of the trailer to your left the shackle strap would be closer to the vehicle at the top and further away at the bottom. Or you could say it resembles this \ This allows the leaf spring to extend as it flattens out.

Answer 1

Hey Steve, in order to replace your #K13-142-02 with the much shorter #K71-359-00 you'd have to go with a considerably longer leaf spring if available. What is length of your current spring and axle capacity? Is there a reason you want to go with…

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Answer 2

Hi Paul, you’re definitely on the right track here, and I can help you narrow this down with confidence. With your tandem 3,500 lb Dexter axles and 33 inch spacing, both the Dexter EZ Flex part #K71-652-00 and the Lippert Road Armor part #LC53CK are…

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Answer 3

Hey Ronnie! You want the upgraded equalizer to match the existing equalizer measurements so you don't throw off the suspension geometry. The Road Armor #LC53CK is only 6" long making it is a little too short for your setup. The MORryde Shock…

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Answer 4

The MORryde CRE3000 #MR87ZR could work for your trailer but you need to take one more measurement. On your current equalizer measure the distance between the lower bolt hole centers. If that distance is 6-1/2 inches or pretty close to that this will…

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Answer 5

Hey Eron, the equalizer part #K71-448-00 is 2 inches taller than the #K71-359-00 but since this only changes the height of half the leaf spring you'd end up only gaining 1 inch.

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Answer 6

Hey David! If I had to guess your utility trailer originally had 2-1/4" on there since that is the standard. One way or another, that slight difference isn't enough to cause an issue with the suspension geometry. If you want to use the…

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Answer 7

The Never Fail upgrade kits like the #LC281285 have two really distinct advantages. One of them is what you mentioned and is that they don't require greasing or any maintenance. The other is that they last about twice as long as any other heavy…

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Answer 8

Well shackle length is mainly based on the height difference between the front and rear hangers. The rear hanger normally doesn't hang as low as the front so that the shackle can offset the difference and add the ability to move. What is the…

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Answer 9

If you want the best, it's the MORryde Rubber Equalizers for Tandem Axle Trailers part #MR87ZR. These are the best as they offer the most travel which is basically how much that rubber bushing compresses and the more it compresses, the better…

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Answer 10

Hi Mike; can you send me your axle information? Is it a 3,500 lb axle? If I had to guess it is likely a 3,500 lb axle on there right now. Assuming you have the standard 3,500 lb bearing combination you can use the DeeMaxx Disc Brake Kit #DE66YR. This…

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Answer 11

Hey Gary, thanks for all of the info on your axle. From that I can tell you have a 3,500 lb trailer axle with a 5 on 4-1/2 inch bolt pattern so the correct DeeMax disc brake kit would be the part #DE66YR. Then for a electric over hydraulic actuator…

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Answer 12

Trailer manufacturers don't usually keep a record of parts like these that they install at the factory, so I cannot be sure as to the exact length of the shackle strap that would have come originally on your trailer. With this in mind, a 3-1/8…

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Are Trailer Leaf Spring Shackles Supposed to be Angled or Totally Straight

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