I agree that the
on-line information for Flexiride is terrible. On the other hand, when I contacted them by e-mail, requesting contact information for the local distributor, they immediately responded with the contact information. They also sent a message to that distributor - the
Standen's branch in Edmonton - and
they contacted me as well. The Standen's staff were very helpful; unfortunately, the Flexiride stuff is not yet represented on their website, since it is handled by a recently acquired division.
Part of the problem may be that the Flexiride products are
components, from which anyone can build an axle assembly by supplying the rectangular tube to accept the rubber-filled cartridge. The manufacturer does not normally expect to deal directly with customers, but usually with other companies which make axle assemblies.
Andrew, in your Flexiride comments in the trailer-height thread, you mentioned
pricing. My local distributor confirmed that the price of a complete axle assembly with Flexiride components is a few percent higher than the alternatives (the same supplier also carries Al-Ko), and I'm sure that's a major factor for RV manufacturers.
I think that the best way to use Flexiride parts is to incorporate the square tube crossmember right into the frame, and plug the cartridges into that, rather than building some bolt-on assembly. This fully integrated approach would save
weight and allow more compact packaging.
I saw one boat trailer on a website (sorry, lost the link), which had a crossmember which was bent down in a Vee in the middle to clear the keel, and ended in straight horizonatal sections on each end to accept the Flexiride cartridges. This allows the boat to be carried lower (and thus more stably) than with a conventional assembly. This won't matter to someone looking for a new bolt-in axle for their stock trailer, but in a custom frame it could allow a dropped floor in the centre, while keeping the suspension pivot points at a good height.