Hey Guys,
I own an old light weight single axle trailer I've modified to carry more weight, or rather increase volume by putting a high cage around it. It's still manoeuvrable by hand and not that heavy at all. Being an old sturdy axle, I can see it is capable of carrying some good weight, but unsure about the capacity of the leaf springs. I've put some heavy weights on it to the range of around 500kg or so, and the springs seems to handle ok and the ancient axle doesn't bent.
Rest of the structural parts were/are rusted and I've been slowly improving them by adding structural strengthening by adding more weld tags and cross bars etc. The floor & checker plate still need to be strengthened more to be able to carry something centrally heavy like an engine in the middle of the trailer, but it's doable.
My question is, Is there a way to improve the strength of the leaf springs by adding some kinda coil springs
salvaged from a small car or something???!!!
It is an idea that's been circulating in my head to add extra security to the old leaf springs.
Now I know, there are somethings called heavy duty leaf springs that may do the job, but probably won't justify for an old rusty trailer like mine. It's just a hobby project that I don't wanna thrown too much money into that I won't get back or also that I don't have atm.
Or is it possible to add another set of normal leaf springs set right next to existing ones to add more backup strength.
I should re-iterate I am kinda confident about the axle, 'cos it's a pretty bulky old solid thing that doen't bend with the extra weight that I've experimented with it so far, so I'm fairly confident the axle won't give way.
I'm not trying to muck around with it, but just trying to add bit more redundant strength to existing leaf springs, preferably cheaply.
Any ideas, thoughts, tips or warnings will be appreciated.
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