Perfect Hunting Trailer Springs

photo of roller rocker springs with mechanical disc brakes and 2000kg trailer load limit

Deciding on trailer springs

Trailer springs – types

There are a few types of trailer springs; slippers, shackles, roller rocker and coils (ignored but not forgotten – airbags). All have there place, purpose and cost.

Since tandem axles are our choice, we will review the trailer springs from that perspective.

For trailers over 2,000kg GTM load sharing trailer springs are required for tandem axles. When you are travelling on rough terrain or corrugations you would be crazy to not use load sharing springs. Even with a 2,000kg GTM trailer, the load sharing will work wonders on its own on rough roads.

Slipper leaf springs

Slippers are the most agricultural of them all, basic in design and cheap. Most trailer shops will not sell a load sharing kit for slipper springs. I would suggest there is a reason for this.

Shackle leaf springs

Shackle springs used to be very common on tandem trailers. I’ve personally used a shackle sprung trailer out west many times with out any issues and couldn’t speak highly enough of.

Photo of roller rocker load sharing arm trailer springs — Roller rocker trailer springs load sharing arm

Roller rocker leaf springs

These have since replaced the once common shackle springs. Instead of mounting to a fixed shackle the the eye of the shackle is elongated and as the spring flexes the bush slide across the eye. This is supposed to significantly reduce the stress on the spring at the eye under constant vibration. In theory reducing breakages. My question is what about the other eye? They are however easier to grease up and maintain than shackles.

Coil springs

Coils (and airbags) are used on independent suspension setups and are very costly. Top end camper trailers are all set-up with coil springs or airbags. You only have to talk to an over-lander and they will tell you the back roads are full of broken camper trailers. Regardless of suspension type they fail and get stripped of good stuff and left behind.

Airbags

Air compressors, airlines, self leveling system etc. Not worth the big $, end of story from me.

Bush mechanics

There are plenty of stories of people repairing broken leaf springs with tree branches and such, I’ve seen it with our family boat trailer. I’ve not heard of similar bush mechanics on coil springs or airbags. Given you probably don’t want to leave it on the side of the road, leaf springs are probably the ticket by far.

Trailer springs recommendation

On my next project I will be installing roller rocker springs. A better product at nearly the same price. With the ability of a bit of bush mechanics if required.

Next topics

Choosing trailer brakes
Which coupling/hitch for a hunting trailer coupling
Perfect hunting trailer type
Wheels for a hunting traile
Trailer finish and accessories

Previous topics

Trailer load limit
Trailer axles
Deck material, length and width

October 20, 2017January 18, 2019

Perfect Hunting Trailer Couplings

photo of a 50mm ball fitted to a 2 inch tongue hitch

Hunting Trailer Couplings

There are 3 main trailer couplings/hitches in Australia (of course there are many others); 50mm ball, Treg hitch and Hitchmaster DO35. Searching online you’ll find tons of articles written about trailer couplings and they will all tell you to get the DO35. Let’s look at why this might not be the best option for you.

Hitchmaster DO35

The Hitchmaster DO35 is the best trailer coupling on the market. It’s much easier to hook up than a Treg hitch, it’s super quiet and allows the most ridiculous angles at the coupling.

The DO35 does not come with a brake over-ride option (for mechanical trailer brakes) as is strictly for use with electric brakes (or similar). You’ll also need a dust cover to protect everything, which often goes missing.

Treg Hitch

The Treg hitch (also known as poly block trailer couplings) are one of the most common couplings found on camper trailers.

They have fantastic angle movement at the coupling and are available in a brake over-ride option.

The poly block removes most of the “knocking” from the trailer, so they are quiet. They are however, incredibly difficult in comparison to hook up. The height has to be perfect, the block has to be straight and there is a small hole that has to be lined up for the pin to go through. You have to reverse it in, you can’t just lower it.

Lastly the poly block can deteriorate over time and need replacing.

photo of old rusted 50mm ball trailer couplings — Old school 50mm ball coupling with mechanic brake over-ride

50mm ball coupling

The 50mm ball hitch is standard on just about every ute in the country. They are incredibly easy to hook up, even on your own, basically maintenance free (might need a little grease at some stage) and available for trailer brake over-ride system (for use with mechanical brakes).

Because I’m not going hardcore off-roading I don’t need a coupling capable of ridiculous angles, I’m only using it to hunting gear there and back.

We got stuck in some serious black mud on on trip in 2016. We simply unloaded the quads unhooked the trailer and towed the trailer with the quads (because the quads to had 50mm ball hitches). If it wasn’t for that we would not have got out with the trailer.

Recommendation

Don’t over engineer it, don’t complicate it, keep it easy for yourself and stick with a 50mm ball coupling with a brake over-ride for mechanical brakes.

A 50mm ball is compatible with most vehicles and does everything you need to for hauling a trailer.

Next topics

Perfect Hunting Trailer Type
Wheels for a hunting trailer
Trailer finish and accessories

Previous topics

Trailer load limit
Trailer axles
Deck material, length and width
Deciding on trailer springs
Choosing trailer brakes

October 20, 2017January 18, 2019

Perfect Hunting Trailer Type

Example of a specialised hunting trailer being towed

Hunting trailer type – what to build

What trailer type or trailer styles suit towing quads, side by sides and motorbikes? There are two trailer types we will look at; tandem trailers (car trailers) and flatbed (table top) trailers. I’m sure the different trailer types may be known by other names in different regions.

10x6 tandem box trailer type covered in mud carrying a Polaris SxS — Tandem axle 10×6 box trailer type used for hunting – carrying a RZR Polaris side by side

Tandem trailer

A tandem trailer has dual axles with the wheels outside the deck area and the deck is below the mud guards just like a car trailer (for towing vehicles). This makes the tandem trailer quiet wide, generally as wide as the maximum width of 2.5m as per the ADR.

They tow very well and have a low centre of gravity. Loading quads sideways over the guards is difficult to put ramps on and can cause damage to the guards.

Some people build platforms spanning the sides for the quads to sit on top of the trailer to make it much easier to load them on (negating the benefit of low centre of gravity).

The video above demonstrates the issue with the wide axle trailers in mud. When the roads are rutted and the surface is slippery the wheels naturally want to ride in the wheel ruts. Causing the wide axle trailer to dive from side to side as the tandem axles become crocked.

This zigzagging of the trailer causes the trailer tyres to pickup a lot more fresh mud clogging up the guards, causing the trailer wheels to skid pulling the tow vehicle to a halt. Now you have to get out of the car every couple of kilometres and dig the mud out.

The zigzagging also pulls the back of the vehicle around making it very unstable and difficult to maintain a reasonable speed. Several times we were nearly pulled into the table drain because of the trailer.

Not my preferred trailer type. I’ve experienced the above on 3 trips which is what prompted my trailer build and this article.

photo of Hogs dogs and quads table top trailer — Hogs, dogs and quads have one of the best hunting trailer types getting around

Flatbed trailer

A flatbed or tabletop trailer with dual axles has the deck over the wheels. This means the trailer is narrower than a tandem trailer and the deck is higher.

photo of roadside post stuck on wide trailer — Trailer too wide causing collection of this white post with red reflector – don’t even ask lol

Having a flatbed trailer with the same track (axle width) as the tow vehicle is so much better off-roading. It doesn’t collect as much mud, stops it swaying from wheel rut to wheel rut and cant collect obstacles past the edge of the vehicle.

Flatbed trailers are no more difficult than loading the tray of your ute. As with tandem trailers they tow very well. Not having mudguards makes them a lot easier to use ramps and load quads sideways.

They are far less prone to damage with less protruding parts and safer for overtaking for those mates that “forget” the trailer is attached and is wider than the ute.

photo of a trailer on the highway suitable for hunting — Ripper of a trailer spotted on Brisbane high way, dual axle, aluminum bed and Off-road tyres

Trailer type recommendation

After towing a car trailer and tandem axle box trailers on several trips I would never own one for hunting. A table top trailer is the only way to go. Safer in the mud, easier to load quads onto and you don’t have to worry about it clipping stuff.

Next hunting trailer topics

Wheels for a hunting trailer
Trailer finish and accessories

Previous hunting trailer topics

Trailer load limit
Trailer axles
Deck material, length and width
Deciding on trailer springs
Choosing trailer brakes
Which coupling/hitch for a hunting trailer coupling