Monday, Dec 10, 2012 at 20:50
You can go on about 'v's and loads transfered....the fundamental fact is that no independent
suspension system distributes the losd widely on the chasis thus requiring a substantially stronger chasis...and if indeed any engineering design is employed and very different arrangement of members in the truss or beam.
leaf springs remain the lightest trailer frame option, A because of the widely distributed load and B because there is tortortional load on any members in the chasis.
Look at the pictures in reply 3
note the additional overlay of a second layer of RHS, the additional braces and the large crossmember that carries the trailing links.
Look in the pictures in follow up 8 of 8.....note the tall long sections and the double layer RHS and the diagonal braces.
Also look at the
suspension geometry..there is no way the trailing link attachments are carrying any significant vertical load.
The massive size of the trailing link carrier is required to cope with the tortional loads locating the wheels horisontally.
It is plainly clear the vast majority of the load is borne on the airbag mounts.
Look at the pictures in relpy 12 of 13
Look at the massive size of the compomnents in the trailing link
suspension compared to the surrounding chasis.
There is no possible argument that a significantly stronger chasis is required to support the sorts of independent
suspension being offered.
And any notion that independent
suspension is lighter in its self simply cant be maintained.
Note that one poster says fitting independent
suspension added arround 100KG to his trailer......that is no small potatoes...that is arround 2 steel bullbars, 3 electric
winches with steel cable , 4 x N70 batteries or arround 120 liters of fuel in plastic jerries.
With almost everybody pushing close to their GVM, this is a very real issue.
Of course there is an inbetween option, and that is a tranverse arm independent
suspension resting on more or less conventional leaf springs like was fitted to the rear of the honda Coup 9.
Where the single beam axle is simply replaced by a pair of plain light transverse arms anchored to the opposite chasis rail.
It is simple light, offers improved centre clearance and maintains the same 4 point support of a leaf spring system and does not require an increased chasis strength or weight.
BUT the problem is that it is, far too simple, looks far to simple, can not be protected by design regestration.....any half decent boilermaker could build one..quicly and cheaply.
In fact is has been used and proven in off road trailers over may decades.
So we are never likly to see it promoted.
cheers
FollowupID:
776132