Shock placement with leaf set up

[DrtTrac]

Looking for advice on shock placement for a 4x6 hybrid utility trailer/expo set up. Total loaded weight would not likely to exceed 1200#. I am thinking of running one forward and one back similar to a Ford set up as they have had good luck that way.

Opinions on this? Running a 2K# axle with 35's, 1250# springs...

Thanks in advance.

 

[reece146]

Ford does that to try to control axle wrap. Trailers not having a powered axle don't need to worry about axle wrap. Just place them where ever they fit easily.

2¢

 

[Arya Ebrahimi]

Ford does that to try to control axle wrap. Trailers not having a powered axle don't need to worry about axle wrap. Just place them where ever they fit easily.

2¢

I concur. Obviously the more vertical you can get them the better. I seriously wonder what people are thinking when I see shocks laid over damn near horizontally.

 

[reece146]

I concur. Obviously the more vertical you can get them the better. I seriously wonder what people are thinking when I see shocks laid over damn near horizontally.

On a light trailer it could make sense... if the shocks are too strong for the load laying the shocks over reduces their strength. We used to do this to run crap Rancho RS5000 shocks on Samurais. Much better plan is to get shocks suited to the application.

 

[DrtTrac]

Thanks. Makes sense.

Suggestion on shocks?

 

[cowboy4x4]

Arya.... shocks will work just fine when they are layed over (totally horizontal) no but as long as they have some angle they will work. On my trailer shock location was limited by available space under the trailer. I happened to have a pair of Rancho RS9000 I got for free and new at that. Mine are layed over a bit and on setting #6 and I could tell a very big difference in the ride/bounce of the trailer. Shocks are 60/40 and steering stabilizers are 50/50 and they work just fine horizontally. At the angle mine are they serve dual purpose as a shock and to help prevent axle wrap as I located my springs on top of the axle.

Anyway my opinion (as a trailer builder)is to look at your springs one end will be stationary and one will have a shackle on it, put both shocks on the same side as the shackle side, that is the direction the spring will move towards during compression.