Listing to one side...problem?

[JenPB]

OK, the electrical is up, the propane system is complete and the water systems are ALMOST there.

Now...

The trailer lists to one side (driver's side which is the water tank side). It's about 2" lower on the driver's side rear end of frame than the passenger's side. This is when the trailer's completely unloaded (no water, no goods).

The frame APPEARS straight. Can't find any cracks in the frame or the leaf springs. Could the leaf on the driver's side just be slightly flatter than passenger's due to years of water weight on that side?

Should I bother to do something about this at this point? Or just not worry about it...

Seems to tow fantastically!

Jen

[Donna D.]

Can't find any cracks in the frame or the leaf springs. Could the leaf on the driver's side just be slightly flatter than passenger's due to years of water weight on that side?
Jen

Yes, one side springs can be flatter, or broken (in the middle) where you can't see it. Are all the shackles fully attached? Can you compare the arch from side to side?

How bad is the list? Half-inch, 3 inches???

[Alf S.]

Hi: Jen... Fiberglass trailers usually list a little due to the distribution of weight from cabinets,appliances, battery placement, gas bottle and lastly just age!!! Thats not to say that it shouldn't be looked into but it can and does happen.
Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie

[Roy in TO]

Can you compare the arch from side to side?

How bad is the list? Half-inch, 3 inches???

I don't think you are fully awake yet Donna, JenPB provided the info in the original post.

It's about 2" lower on the driver's side rear end of frame than the passenger's side.

[Donna D.]

Gad, and I accuse others of NOT reading.

Coffee, coffee, I need more coffee!

[Roy in TO]

Coffee, coffee, I need more coffee!

I don't expect anyone to function at 5 AM unless they are working the graveyard shift. I was just nudging a sleepy driver trying to keep them awake.

If coffee is what you need we better pull over and get some.

[Bobbie Mayer]

My Campster listed when one of the shackles holding the leaf springs was bad, but even with that replaced it still lists a bit. Before it was more like 2-4 inches, now maybe 1-2 inches.

[Paul from NWOnt]

The beauty of leaf-spring suspensions is that components can be switched easily from side to side to see if that corrects the problem. They can also be rebuilt for much less cost than replacing a torsion axle (parts alone likely less than 100 bux for springs, shackles, bushings, and U-bolts).

If you go with a rebuild, you can also easily lift the entire rig to gain ground clearance if desired.

Look under the back end of any pick-up and you'll find leafs because after all these years, nothing has been developed that will take as much abuse for so little cost.

[JenPB]

My Campster listed when one of the shackles holding the leaf springs was bad, but even with that replaced it still lists a bit. Before it was more like 2-4 inches, now maybe 1-2 inches.

Coffee error aside (I've had mine today, so I SHOULD be ok here), sounds like my trailer's not too far off. I just went out and measured (rather than eyeballed) and here are the details.

The arch in the spring measures 4 3/4" from the bottom of the frame to the top of the spring (passenger' side); 5" on driver's side. So there's "only" a 1/4" inch difference. The result is that, at rear bumper, there's a 3/4" difference betwen passengers' side and driver's side.

I don't have great eyes, so I'm surprised this difference is even noticeable to me. I think I'll go with it for now, unless someone here advises me strongly otherwise.

Thanks again, Fiberglass Friends!

Jen

[Frederick L. Simson]

So there's "only" a 1/4" inch difference. The result is that, at rear bumper, there's a 3/4" difference between passengers' side and driver's side.

I think I'll go with it for now...

For less than 1" of difference, I agree that it is not critical.

[JenPB]

Had the water tank full, but nothing else loaded, when I headed home last night. The trailer was towing slightly SIDEWAYS down the road. I HOPE this was merely due to unbalanced load. PLEASE tell me this won't be the problem once it's all properly loaded!

In other words, if my list is less than 1" unloaded and towing fine, shouldn't I expect the same (or better) when I load it up?

Jen in Cali
7 days 'til The Big Trip - WOO HOO!