MtnClimber's Adventure Trailer

What are u using for an axle

If its just a trailer axle couldn't u cut the spindle out and weld a new spindle in would be alot cheaper then a new axle

Muffinman, the axle is from TSC, a 2K lb one. comes complete. I could just cut the spindle off, weld on a new one, buy more bearings and another hub assembly. And cross my fingers I got the spindle true so I don't wear the tires off. The cost for a new spindle & hub assembly is $75, half the cost of a new axle that was built in a jig welded by robots. Oh I've thought about it, don't get me wrong  

Wow that sux! Glad you made it home safely

I have a week to get this fixed for Vermont....

If you need a hand getting stuff complete, feel free to give me a shout! I can lead a hand for a few hour some evening this week!!

Copy that. I may just buy a whole new axle to speed things up. Maybe fix the old one later for someone else to use for a expo trailer.

After weighing the pro's n con's w/ 03Rubicon, the axle teardown begins this afternoon. I'd really like to take this to VOT as it is built for these types of adventures. Once the axle issue is situated and a spare tire is mounted (and not leaking) I'll toss the RTT back on it.

Axle has new bearings & grease. Even installed a grease fitting in the dustcap.
There are 4 leafs in the leaf pack & I remove the 2nd longest leaf spring to help with suspension travel (or the lack thereof...).

Did u have change the axle?

muffinman wrote:Did u have change the axle?

Nope.

Tent's back on. Trimmed the corners of the fenders so as to prevent (I hope) my legs from getting cut in half from the super sharp aluminum. Still gotta add a carry handle on the tongue to aid in moving it around. The floor needs attention and I'll be researching some different kinds of flooring.

So after 700+ miles to during and from the VOT, I need to rethink the suspension. I ended up removing the second longest leaf to help squishen up the ride. It worked great, but the main leaf didn't think so. It broke on day 4, the last day. Luckily the local sponsoring shop, Performance Unlimited, just so happen to have a leaf pack that fit. BUT, mine were 1750 packs, his was a 3500 lb. so I only used it to get me home. That pack was installed and we finished the event on time.

Here you can see Matt, Mike, and I swapping out the leafs at Rodney's shop.




After about 25-30 minutes we had everything done and were ready to go. But wait, Rodney had a surprise for us. This!


Long story short, he let all of us try it for a spin thru his rock garden.

If you're ever out in the area swing by and say hi! Let him know you're part of Northeast Overland too  

Basically I have three options.

Option 1: Replace both leaf packs with new 1750 packs and remove the 2nd longest leaf again BUT install some sorta shock set-up. They'd hafta be short soft shocks as the trailer isn't going to carry that much. I'd be nervous of the main leaf breaking again tho.

Option 2: Remove the leafs entirely and run coilovers from a snomadoo. They fall under the right length and weight category. The center of the solid axle would get sectioned after trailing arms are built and installed. This would actually be easier due to the vast variety of snomadoo shock set-ups out there. And they're adjustable! If I don't section the axle I'd hafta add a trackbar.

Option 3: Try to find longer, softer leaf springs to help with the jounce, add short shocks, maybe even a snomadoo set-up to help with different loads and conditions.

Why not run the leafs But add the Snowmobile Shock/coilover set up so its adjustable stiffness and gives it squish before breaking?

Or just the Main to keep it in Place and the CoilOver set up?

I Know alot of the lowered truck guys will keep there Main Leaf and add air bag's. That way they dont have to add track bar's or what ever. Seems to work just fine.

Ideally that'd be what I do for the price. I'd still like to find longer, softer leafs and use the coilover snomadoo shocks in addition to the leafs.
The current leafs are 26" long, and by making them squishier, they become more prone to breakage, which they did. By utilizing longer leafs, that would eliminate any some harshness and would be less apt to breakage.

I also need to build another coupler as this one is "clunky", or just revise this one. The "plastic" bushings that were used basically disintegrated over the weekend. The coupler is bombproof, but it needs some lovin'.

I would say that would probably be the easy and cheapest option. I dont see why it wouldnt work just fine being able to adjust travel/stiffness so it doesn't get to the point of breakage.

Trailing arm's looks like they could become a "Slider" Over obsticles.

Next question, Where are you going to find really soft coil springs, that flex, but support your trailer loaded down? Kia Sportage rear coils?

The only thing I see wrong with the trailing arm would be the need for more parts, that potentially could be lower, causing greater issues with hanging up on the trail and more breakage. With these, you'd have to think of the potential "fix" for when you are somewhere where you cant get parts ie. large piece of tubing to slide over a broken arm, same thing for the track bar, coil unless one breaks, etc.

The trailer has one major weak point as it is and that involves being towed by a 4500lb vehicle. It is very unlikely that you'll feel something get caught up or break before its too late, especially if your on the gas. The coilover setup would allow for an easier set up to be tucked up and out of the way, with less fear of damaging a trailing arm.

The other option. Find some longer, more durable (wider) leaf springs (think cherokee or truck leafs) and move the mounts out to fit them. You'd have to found a set that has the same height but that shouldnt be to hard.

What about the springs and axle from a Grand Caravan? It is a five on four and half bolt pattern, it has coil springs and it can be flipped upside-down to act like a portal axle.

When the trailer was getting hung up in the trees w/the fenders I could definitely feel it, but that story is for another coffee time   The arms would consist of readily available heim joints and equal length DOM, similar size to what I already have for my LCA's on the Jeep. All heim joints would be the same size (minus the LH & RH threads) for ease of spare parts. Arms & trackbar would all be the same DOM & length for ease of spare parts as well.
However, the possibility of 2 fixed (vs. adjustable) trailing arms is not out of the equation for more simplicity.

I'm partial to the coil vs. leaf idea as I can really feel the difference between the 2 with my XJ. Granted the front is a LA but there is noticeable ride quality. I boogie along up North on those pothole scattered dirt roads but also engage 4Lo and go slow in the rough sections.

I got WICKED lucky that Rodney had those leafs, even tho they were 2K lbs heavier, as he had no other leafpacks to choose from and the closest TSC was hours away.

Allan, the potential coil springs can be found under most boat trailers as the weight capacity is very close.

Barrows, I'll hafta look into that to see if the width is comparable. If it is, I'll add that option into the sepplehut hat, lol. But I'm really leaning towards making my own cuz I have the tools, knowledge, and skills to do so. Fabbing things up is part of the excitement and pride to show off your work and the confidence of knowing something you built works.

Except the flipped axle is leaf (booo) and you can't really flip the coil sprung axle unless you make new pockets. And where the sprung axle mounts to the frame would lower the trailers height too, based on the distance from mounting point to hub center.

That Caravan Rear end Flip Is pretty slick. Thats a Killer Idea with lots of clearance.

So I was looking over my saved links and the first blueprint picture is a Toyota Sienna van axle it and the Astro van use a 5x4.5 bolt pattern and coils/trailing arms.