Camper trailer shocks

[sbclover Member Find all posts View Profile Close sbclover]

What are peoples thought on mounting shocks on a camper. I am interested in fitting them but haven't got the space to mount them angled to the rear refer to link
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/XTRAIL-sh...item19d4722d0a

I was thinking I could probably mount them forward ie mirrored the rear style.

Thoughts, Pro's & Con's

Sean

[D4D Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close D4D]

Fit a good set of rebound springs, too much of an angle for a shock to work properly.

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

I am probably getting up towards having towed my campers 100,000ks all round Australia, From Tassie to the Kimberly to the cape and a lot of rough roads in between, never had shocks, just rebound leaf springs and it works fine.

If however I was going to fit shocks I would use shocks that are the same as on the rear of my tow vehicle, its one way of carrying a spare if the one on the car buggers up.

I reckon the next camper trailer I build will have independant coil springs, so I will go shocks and use rear Prado ones, and probably Prado springs for the same reason.

Cheers Andrew

[paulyc Member Find all posts View Profile Close paulyc]

A mate installed shocks before our Cape York trip and they didn't last the first week.

From what I've seen the army only use rebound springs on all of their trailers and they pretty much take them everywhere.

[MDS69 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close MDS69]

A mate installed shocks before our Cape York trip and they didn't last the first week.

From what I've seen the army only use rebound springs on all of their trailers and they pretty much take them everywhere.

Your mates trailer looks like he has rebound leaves on his springs so as well so that may have contributed.

[photoprado Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close photoprado]

Not to mention, the shock looks fine, but the mounting seems to have failed.

Plenty of campers out there sold with shocks already installed from the factory.

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

Have you got a photo of mount that failed, shock looks OK. What was the welding on the bracket like?

Cheers Andrew

[sbclover Member Find all posts View Profile Close sbclover]

The old set of springs had the rebound springs and while talking to Dobinson Springs in Rockhampton the said they wouldn't worry about them now with the new spring with an extra leaf.
A lot of campers have the shocks angled back ,I agree not ideal position for best operation. My other question was would the work if the were angles forward from the axle.

Sean

[Bushbasher Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Bushbasher]

I hired an Albany Camper Trailers camper a few years back. Took it up the Gt Central Rd, all around West & East McDonnell Ranges, then Tanami Track, up to Kununurra, then Gibb River Rd to Mitchell Plateau, Kalumburu, Derby. Somewhere in the early stages of the journey the shock absorbers both separated company with the lower mounts. I never could tell the difference between shocks fitted or shocks detached. My present trailer has 9 leaf springs and no shocks and has done a fair few miles around Australia behind 2 Prados and has travelled just fine. I've seen Pioneer and Kimberley trailers with buggered suspensions, and these were the independent coil setups.

[Richoson Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Richoson]

The relationship between shock absorbers characteristics (valving, compression materials, bore size etc) and springs is a science. Mounting points and the geometric relationship is simply not just welding a couple of shocks to a trailer.

I worked with the company that manufactured the chassis for Kedron Caravans and the the amount of work that went into establishing the correct relationship took around three months of trialling and adjustments.

So the short answer is either purchase a established manufacturers system ( eg Simplicity or such) or stick with rebound springs. A hint is to not over spring the trailer or you will cause stress and damage.
Richo.

[Jeffers Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Jeffers]

Check out Vehicle Components for van and trailer suspension.

http://www.vehiclecomponents.com.au

I know they make a great product.

PS I have no affiliation with Vehicle Components.

Cheers,

Jeff

[Hazza Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Hazza]

You mean like this
http://s5.postimage.org/ra12e5jfr/untitled.png

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

I've seen Pioneer and Kimberley trailers with buggered suspensions, and these were the independent coil setups.

The problem with the independantly sprung campers is the fact that the wheels only go up and dowm, with a solid axle if it articulates you get some camber on the wheels, hence the kimberly's and the likes subject to broken stubs. guess thats why most of them come with a spare stub axle standard.

Cheers Andrew

[sbclover Member Find all posts View Profile Close sbclover]

http://giccampertrailers.com.au/uplo...les/shocks.JPG

Like this but mirrored to the front.

Sean