Why is Center Hanger Longer for Tandem Axle Trailer Hanger Kit

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Question:

Hello, I purchased a few things including the hanger/equalizer/shackle and bolt kit, The center hanger i cut the old one in half and dropped the new replacement directly inside, welded that. Couple questions, what is the reason for the center hanger being longer than the others my other trailer all 6 hangers are the same length. Second, I have attached pictures to explain what my concern is, I am dry fitting it, axles are not attached yet but the leaf springs are loosely connected to shackles and hangers, the spacing of everything seems correct, but my concern is, if one axle gets all the weight, where the other drops down or hangs in the air, it looks like the hanger angles down and the shackle has a possibility of flipping upside down and hanging downwards. Looking at my other trailer with all the same length hangers, when all the weight is on one axle and the other gets lifted above grade, the shackle and eye of the leaf spring hits the trailer frame, stopping it from flipping. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. the leaf springs are 26inch long 6 leaf.

asked by: Erik P

0

Expert Reply:

The center hangers in the Tandem-Axle Trailer Hanger Kit # APT8 that you recently purchased are indeed longer. This is actually pretty common for tandem axle trailers. The reason for the extra length on the middle hanger is related to the shackle straps of the equalizer. You want this hanger to be a bit longer to compensate for how the shackle straps move the spring higher up. I have attached an image to better clarify this.

It is possible for the shackle to flip like you described, but when this happens it will typically correct itself. The leaf springs are not supposed to hit the trailer frame like they did on your other trailer so this shouldn't really be used as an intentional safety measure against the potential for the shackle to flip. If you find that the shackle is flipping too easily, you might just have a spacing issue where the hangers need to be a bit closer to each other.

I have attached a couple great articles on trailer suspension that you might also find helpful as you move further along in this process.

expert reply by: Chris R

0

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Answer 1

It depends on the leaf springs you are using. Basically you will need to mock it all up before permanently installing anything on the trailer. Generally speaking the distance between hangers would likely be 24-3/4 inches on center to 29-1/2 inches on…

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Answer 2

To determine the location for the front and rear hangers on your tandem axle trailer you will first need to make sure that you have the correct center point for your equalizer hanger. The center point of your equalizer hanger should start where you…

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Answer 3

That depends on the width of the equalizer used in the suspension setup. Let's say you were using the tandem hanger kit part #APT8 though which has a 7-1/2 inch wide equalizer though. The distance between the hangers would be 28 inches using the…

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Answer 4

A lot of it depends on the length of the springs and equalizers that are used. When using Leaf Springs #e64SR with the #AP233 Equalizer Kit and the #H248 Hanger Kit, there should be 29-1/2" between the front and center hangers and 29-1/2"…

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Answer 5

When installing trailer suspension I recommend that you completely mock the setup to determine the best placement for the hangers. To do this I would put all of the suspension together and clamp it in place with the rear shackles at a very slight…

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Answer 6

The tallest Leaf Spring Hanger Kit we offer is the Tandem-Axle Trailer Hanger Kit for Double-Eye Springs - 3-1/4" Front/Rear, 5-7/16" Center #APT4 which uses 3-1/4" tall front and rear hangers, and 5-7/16" center hangers. The…

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Answer 7

The reality is that not every manufacturer makes their suspension kits to the same standard sizes. Some use taller hangers with wider equalizers and some might use a taller equalizer with a shorter center hanger. It really just comes down to the…

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Answer 8

In the image with the suspension setup the equalizer #TREQ105 is placed between the front and second axles. Just like you have on your trailer. The front of the equalizer connects to the spring using a shackle strap and the rear is connected directly…

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Answer 9

The 60/40 rule is a great guideline for setting up axle placement on a trailer. But in reality the goal is to place the axles where the trailer will have 10-15 percent of the total trailer weight as tongue weight. The distance you would need to…

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Answer 10

Yes, the front, rear, and center leaf spring hangers can all be the same length. We actually offer kits that come with everything you need including the same length leaf spring hangers for the front, rear, and center. I recommend the Tandem-Axle…

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Answer 11

Ideally you want the hanger spacing to be the same on a dual axle trailer like what you are building but a slight difference may not cause any issues. The shorter spacing that you have between the equalizer and one of the outside hangers essentially…

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Answer 12

Hello Torrey, thanks for reaching out. Generally with a 2,000 lb axle setup you would want each hanger to be the same height. Using a taller hanger will increase the deck height, and shorter hangers will bring it lower. So if you want a lower ride,…

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Why is Center Hanger Longer for Tandem Axle Trailer Hanger Kit

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