Proper Position of Equalizer and Shackles on Trailer Suspension

Question

Question:

I just installed new Springs hangers equalizers. Are these shackles on The Equalizer suppose to be up?

asked by: Jr. L

0

Expert Reply:

I attached a picture that shows the proper position of shackles and equalizers on trailer suspension. Sometimes the shackle will flip up but if you jack up the trailer by the axle that's got the shackle flipped you can usually get it to flip back over.

expert reply by: Jameson C

0

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Answer 1

Hi Gary; the shackle straps should look more like a "W" with your AllTrek #MR29DR. It does look like they're pushed in a little too far towards the center. Have you driven on it since installing? Sometimes they can look off but will fix…

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Answer 2

The correct hanger spacing for your trailer will depend on several factors; I cannot generalize and give you a specific figure. Hanger spacing depends on spring length, the size of the equalizers used and the length of the shackle straps. The linked…

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Answer 3

Typically, when the outside edges of a tire are showing wear its because the tires are under-inflated. The solution is to inflate the tires to the maximum pressure listed on the sidewall. Now if the outside of tires have what looks like gouges are…

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Answer 4

Thank you for the measurements you provided and for the photo of your trailer suspension mockup showing the spring components' spacing. As long as your shackles do not hit the trailer frame (you mention 1/8-inch clearance) you should be fine, but…

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Answer 5

The suspension in general on your trailer looks very worn. I would replace as much as I could on it to get it back to good working order. The problem with the equalizer cocked to one side like that can happen sometimes. It usually fixes itself when a…

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Answer 6

The shackles on your equalizers should be pointing up when the trailer is under its weight on the ground, and will only point down like you mentioned when the trailer is in the air and the axles are off the ground. It is pretty common for one side of…

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Answer 7

If the shackles are flipping the wrong direction frequently that typically means the leaf springs are too short, the hanger spacing is too big, or the shackles are too short. Most of the time it's somebody changed leaf springs and just went with…

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Answer 8

Having the shackles below the equalizer would put the leaf spring out of level. Also, the equalizer wouldn't want to function properly and most likely the shackle would end up flipping over to the top of it or binding up/putting undue stress on…

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Answer 9

Ff the springs you are installing are 25-1/4 inches, you would need to place the hangers between 24-3/4 and 25 inches apart. The shackle should be angled as the drawing shows in the attached helpful article, which should be toward the rear of the…

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Answer 10

There isn't an exact angle to go off of when it it comes to shackle straps, but we try to them to sit in a 'W' shape to allow for the suspension to travel without binding up. Depending on the length of the shackle straps the angle can…

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Answer 11

It is not uncommon for the trailer hangers on a tandem axle trailer to be all the same size or for there to be different sizes that can be 1-1/2 to 2 inches different in height when you compare the center hanger to the front and rear. For example,…

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Answer 12

You can use leaf springs that are rated higher than the axle without any issues as long as they measure the correct measurement for your trailer. For example the 6-leaf double eye spring for 7,000 lb axles part #e64SR measures 24-7/8" eye to…

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Proper Position of Equalizer and Shackles on Trailer Suspension

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