Do-it-yourself repair of a rubber harness trailer suspension

Often, buyers ask themselves how the leaf spring suspension differs from the rubber-harness (torsion bar) suspension, and what kind of suspension to choose a trailer with? First, consider the merits of these two most popular types of suspension for light trailers, trailer springs.

Springs + shock absorbers

Rubber-harness

Smooth running
Better trailer stability on bumps
Dependent: higher "margin of safety"
Repairable even in the field

Independent
More ground clearance
Lower trailer loading height
Maintenance Free
cheap
Easy to install
On the Russian market, there is only a suspension designed specifically for trailers

Now let's look at the disadvantages.

Rubber-harness

Less ground clearance
Higher trailer loading height
Requires serviced (less resource + requires lubrication of friction points)
Specialized spring suspension is more expensive than rubber-harness
Difficult to install / dismantle
The widespread use of springs not intended for light trailers (from Gazelle, Moskvich, etc.): “dangling and jumping” or sagging and rubbing the wings with wheels

Rigid move, vertical buildup ("trembling" on the towbar)
Less "margin of safety"
Not repairable: in case of a breakdown on the road, the trailer is not transportable, a new axle is required

For obvious reasons, there are few people who want to buy a trailer on a rubber-harness suspension, but some models on a spring suspension are simply not produced. Separately, we emphasize that the springs are different for the springs, and the main thing in the springs is not the number of sheets at all. Only high-quality springs of the German company Al-ko are installed on MZSA and Stalker trailers. Their advantages over other springs:

1. Loading height is lower and its range is smaller.
2. Short stroke.
3. Special spring design. Because an empty trailer weighs about 250 kg, and a fully loaded trailer 750 kg (i.e. load range 300%), the spring is designed in such a way that an empty trailer uses only one spring, and a loaded trailer uses all 4 (or more). This ensures optimal driving comfort with a trailer at any load.

Road tests: rubber-harness and spring suspension.

on the TONAR trailer, such a suspension, or rather Hmmmmm, there is a torsion bar of 3 harnesses (in the beam)

it all depends on how much you want to carry cargo by weight,

the travel of such suspensions is small

I have two trailers, one mzsa 750 kg the second samopal 1500kg both rubber jute mzsa 3 harnesses in the suspension of the samopal 4 the more harnesses the greater the load capacity but less travel and more rigidity.

The MZSA trailer has a carrying capacity of 500 kg, I actually loaded it in 1500 kg, I carried a lot of sand and gravel, but at least he was hell. trailer by the way already 1993 release.

I personally like this suspension very much, it does not require any maintenance or lubrication. though without a load, the trailer jumps strongly along the road

ALIVE there is also one axis but no amov

spring in practice better and more reliable

ALIVE there is also one axis but no amov

spring in practice better and more reliable

the spring driving performance is better.
at the expense of more reliable like this. springs that break, spring bushings that wear out, shock absorbers are also not eternal.
in rubber jute there are three or four elastic bands in the pipe that work for crushing and everything is reliable. mine with 93 g transported so much that some trucks would envy and that. just changed the bearings on the hubs and that's it.

and the axis there is not one but two axle shafts in one pipe. ZhIV called the suspension correctly “semi-independent”

I have a trailer with 4 rubber bands in a pipe where the axle of the “swing” of the wheel is inserted.
The trailer has a load capacity of 750 kg, but the suspension is crap! The manufacturer went to cut costs. There is nothing metal, no shock absorbers.
Therefore, the articulation of the wheel is scanty, an overload can turn the axle out and the trailer will be one-sided. An empty trailer rides down the road like a bastard!

Three years later, the rubber bands cracked and the trailer “sank”. Frost has done its job.
In total, the trailer is 8 years old, for the last five years I have been using it only for garbage disposal to a landfill. When the plywood at the bottom finally gets wet, I will remake it with springs from Moskvich. I will put the axle from VW Golf-2. back. It is possible and from something else, such as the eight, just from the Golf I got it for free.
———
My conclusion: Rubber-harness torsion bars on a trailer - shit!
sorry for my french.

Tatarstan fishing and hunting forum

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Sergiy, I also have a rubber band

Jumps just like that
Once left the gas tank in the boat, the hose almost jumped out of it (unfastened).

I pull out all the things from the boat, when I’m on a long trip, I tie the boat and the motor stronger and alga, let him jump

It also helps to lower the wheels and throw a couple of sandbags (the loaded one does not jump).

But stick together

I watch how they suffer with springs let it ride better

Everyone knows the advantages and disadvantages of a rubber-harness trailer suspension. With a good boat load of the boat on it, there are no particular problems. But on one-day fishing trips, there are no camping items, and an underloaded trailer starts to jump on bumps, although at high speed and on a flat road it stands like a glove. In the AL-KO catalog on page 78, I found accessories for installing shock absorbers.
Link.
It would be interesting to know the opinion of the members of the forum - will the installation of shock absorbers solve the problem? Or maybe someone has already done something similar?

UNCLE VASI has nothing jumping, he considers this suspension to be the height of engineering. I tried 30 km on asphalt, immediately returned it to the sellers, paid extra for THREE, took the ALKO spring and was not overjoyed

And I've been riding for 6 years. The mileage is more than 17 thousand - and there are no questions about the suspension.

I personally saw some kind of import trailer in the parking lot, it had a rubber band and factory shock absorbers, I think it’s super, if I really need to, I’ll call the owner to find out if he traveled far and how?

On MZSA trailers with a large load capacity (axle load 1300 kg) there are small shock absorbers. Probably, it is not without reason that they are not put on axles with a lower g / n.

It doesn't jump that much. I scored. So far, only about 5 thousand drove. Let's see further. And stands on the road really well.
P.S. It seems to me that the suspension travel is too small for the normal operation of the shock absorber.

Shock absorbers on torsion axles Alco and Knot will not solve anything, because. their hub travel relative to the axis itself is very small (the consequences of a primitive design). On the Pajero Sport and other imported vehicles, where the torsion bar is paired with a shock absorber, the design and price of the torsion bar are completely different.

it would be necessary to distinguish - “the penis from the handle of a shovel.”
in the picture I showed Slip - Trailer (popularly - a cart)
for transporting a boat over short distances (from 100m to several km, OUTSIDE of public roads).

The softest trailer is springs and shock absorbers, the suspension travel for the Russian Federation is preferably 100-150 mm. – 20-30%

In order for a trailer with a rubber-harness suspension not to jump underloaded or empty, for starters, it is necessary to reduce the pressure in the wheels, because there the pressure is recommended for full load.
As an example, I have 3.2 at. on Tonar biaxial.

Uncle Vasya in the bath: how aggressive you are!
Forum same there is not for insults each other. You piled a snowmobile on this bespontovy cart, the people can accept this as a guide to action and, following your example, they will begin to sculpt the same.And there, on public roads, these collective farm products will appear.

And do not forget how fast you can move with a trailer ?!

With a trailer - 70, without a trailer - 90 on the highway, in the city - 60.
Are there many such drivers?

snowmobile - on Trailer - MZSA, the trailer is more than 10 years old. used for work.
a home-made body is installed on it, the mass does not exceed the permitted one, it is normal for driving on asphalt.
On the ground - the lights are removed, the patency is limited by the clearance of the beam.
If the weight is less than half of the permitted weight, you can lower the wheels.
Nothing perfect doesn't exist.

I'll show you the slip trailer tonight.
(if we finish today)

why are you so hovering that he jumps then?
Well, he jumps and jumps, well, figs with him, tie the boat well and the business is, the main thing is that the boat does not jump. The boat then flies straight behind the wheelbarrow 🙂 Well, sometimes it flies well on potholes, but you need to drive quietly, it usually helps.

Lanterns are very interesting. Quick release? I'm always afraid to burn the wiring after pulling out the boat - usually right on the road, you won't dry it.

> With a trailer-70, without a trailer 90 on the highway, in the city 60.
> many of these drivers?
In-in 70 with a trailer. I have a trailer MSZA 81..-D. On it Strelka and Pit 40 with trim. Up to 90 on the asphalt is quite good. Galloping is unnoticed.

Greetings participants.
I would like to ask a couple of small questions. I bought a MZSA 81E trailer for transporting watercraft.
On the plate of the beam it is written that the axle is designed for 900 kg.
The boat weighs 700 kg, after repair and alteration, I think it will weigh 800-850 kg.
Who carries such loads, trailers endure?
Who connects the electrical connector after pulling the trailer out of the water? Immediately or even so dry time.
I looked at the design of the lanterns, I can’t decide whether to seal them or, on the contrary, make holes at the bottom to quickly remove water.

> > Who connects the electrical connector after pulling the trailer out of
> water? Immediately or even so dry time.
> I looked at the design of the lanterns, I can’t decide whether they
> seal, or vice versa, make holes at the bottom for quick
> water removal.
Before entering the water, I disconnect the connector from the car. I go into the water, lower the boat, then leave. After pokatushek I load in the same way. I pull out the trailer so that it stands at an angle, for about 5 minutes, everything flows down until I fix the boat, put everything in the trunk. And then, on an unstarted car, I connect an electrician and go.

Vitaly86 wrote:
I bought a trailer MZSA 81E
> for the transportation of watercraft.
> On the plate of the beam it is written that the axle is designed for 900 kg.
> The boat weighs 700 kg, after repair and alteration, I think it will
> weigh 800-850 kg.
> Who carries such loads, trailers endure?

Too much for this trailer. Boat 800, but the trailer itself 250 - the axle is overloaded. For 3 years I carried on such a K2M, I tried not to load more than 600 kg.

Vitaly86 wrote:
Trailer MZSA 81771E. )
According to the passport, its carrying capacity is 530 kg. There will be almost a double overload - you need it.

In the passport, the carrying capacity is written for the GAYs, so that the total mass does not exceed 750 kg

In the passport, the carrying capacity is written for the GAYs, so that the total mass does not exceed 750 kg
————————————–
And for the funeral home.

SERGEY SIBIR wrote:
> In the passport, the carrying capacity is written for the GAI

And for real users, how much does it amount to? Announce - it is very necessary. Apparently very secret data, because. not found anywhere. Maybe I should not sell my dash, but ship a ton and not worry?

Guys, the issue is simply solved by the lanterns. Removable panel plus extra. connector like on a trailer. Everything works for more than one year.

if it’s not a removable panel, then it’s better to drill holes in the lanterns, preferably two or more in diameter, I made a 10 mm drill, everything merges perfectly and is ventilated especially on the go, I made holes in front of the lanterns and nothing burned out or rusted during the season, I lubricated everything contacts in lanterns with lithol.(Stops and turns and dimensions are on fire.) Before wintering, I once again lubricated everything inside.
before that, it was sealed and still, when leaving the water, a full lantern of water.

I also decided to make removable lights, install a second socket on the towbar so that you can connect stationary and removable ones in parallel, and separately any of them. True, the number has so far left under the native lamps. But you can rearrange it to removable ones very quickly. I think that I will definitely use the factory lights at night, and during the day there are enough removable ones (because the number is not illuminated on them).

As for shock absorbers, in my opinion, they are not needed on a rubber-harness suspension with low travel. But to turn the axle in order to make the trailer itself (and the boat along with it) lower, there is a desire. Ground clearance will be slightly reduced. But, I think it's worth it to reduce the depth of the trailer pen in the water. In order to turn the axle over, it is necessary to cut out the planks into which it is included with a grinder. Flip the axle, flip the bars and weld again. Has anyone done this? And is there any point in doing it?

Thanks to all who answered. For some reason, the discussion gradually came down to lanterns. Although the question was different. After digging around on the Internet, I realized that the shock absorbers on this suspension are relevant only with a large load (indicated in the TX of the trailer). I have a gross weight of 280-350 kg. at max 550kg. But “the bad head does not give rest” 🙂 and in the spring I will still put them on a trailer, and at the end of the next season I will unsubscribe.

Try to put from the motorcycle "Ural". They are short-stroke, small in size, easy to install, should cost less.

Native Uralovskys still need to be looked for! We sell products from China 1500 pairs, they shine like a samovar, but they are empty inside, they do not hold

Good day to all! You probably noticed that when studying trailers MZSA, Trailer and various other designs, I often focused on what kind of suspension is installed on a particular model. But it turned out that I did not take the time to consider the structures for the trailer themselves. Therefore, today the situation will be corrected.

We have a rubber-harness suspension under consideration. Such an axis has its pros and cons, features of work, device and design. Whether to buy it or not is debatable. To begin with, I propose to find out what it is, how it works, how it differs from the spring one.

Let me also remind you that the rubber-harness suspension (RZHP) is also called torsion bar. Therefore, if you see one or another concept, it means the same design option.

Often people are interested in what is better, rubber-harness or spring suspension in terms of its installation on a trailer. To begin with, I have already considered the spring suspension. Therefore, you can read about it in previous materials.

All axles for a light trailer offered on the market are divided into 2 types:

• torsion (rubber-harness);
• spring.

RZhP consists of a hexagonal profile pipe. Inside it is another pipe, but smaller. This is necessary in order to place special rubber bands with high elasticity between the metal elements, that is, pipes.

Due to this design, the inner tube does not rotate. The inner part of the structure is directly connected to the levers to which the wheels of the car trailer are attached.

Since in the rubber-harness suspension all the moving parts are hidden inside, this means that the device does not need to be serviced as it is used.

The service life of such solutions is quite large, which allows you to count on long-term and trouble-free operation. But what if repairs are needed? In the event of a breakdown, you are essentially left without a suspension. Therefore, questions arise regarding the further operation of such a trailer.

In principle, you can fix the situation with your own hands.But it is better to contact a special trailer service. There you will be provided with qualified assistance in case of serious breakdowns.

I already told you about the design. Despite the protection against rotation in the RZhP due to harnesses, certain movements occur there. This allows you to cushion on uneven surfaces and create a fairly smooth ride for the vehicle.

Smooth running largely depends on the profile of the pipe. Previously, square sections were used, where 4 bundles were located. Such a suspension was energy-intensive, but very rigid.

Therefore, gradually, manufacturers switched to hexagonal options. The stiffness indicators have decreased significantly, but this has not played a cruel joke on the softness of the ride. Trailers stopped jumping on bumps like crazy when moving empty without load.

Understanding how the suspension works, you can roughly estimate future operating conditions. If you are regularly going to drive a car with a trailer, transport some things without exceeding the maximum permissible load, there should be no problems with a rubber-harness suspension.

But there is always room for advantages and disadvantages. We'll talk about them further. In the meantime, you can view interesting photos and videos that reveal the essence of the rubber-harness suspension and its appearance.

If we talk about the strengths and weaknesses that a rubber-harness device has, then very interesting and important details creep out here.

When choosing a domestic or imported trailer for your car, carefully weigh the pros and cons regarding the type of suspension.

For example, spring options require reinforcement, therefore, shock absorbers are usually installed in addition to leaf springs. In the case of the rubber-harness option, this is not required. This is not an automotive spring suspension that is always under load. Sometimes you have to drive with an empty trailer, which reveals the main drawback of the springs.

If we talk about RZHP, then here I have identified the following strengths:

• The design is independent, resistant to various loads that do not exceed the standards allowed by the manufacturer;
• Such suspensions provide a more impressive ground clearance for the trailer;
• Caravans with this axle usually have a lower loading height;
• Virtually no service required. It is only necessary to monitor the wheel bearings and change the lubricant there in time;
• Compared to springs, rubber with harnesses is cheaper, which saves the budget;
• Does not require special skills for installation. Reviews clearly prove that replacement is easy to do with your own hands. You just need to know how it's done;
• This is a suspension variant designed specifically for car trailers.

But do not rush to draw conclusions and buy yourself a new harness suspension for your trailer Krepysh, Trailer 82944C, Athletic or another model.

First, study the shortcomings that characterize the axles of the rubber-harness type. Of the objective disadvantages, it is worth highlighting the following:

• The trailer travel is more rigid and shorter than that of the spring structure;
• There is a so-called vertical buildup, when there is a trembling effect on the towbar;
• The margin of safety of RZHP is less;
• Such devices are afraid of overload. If the trailer is loaded above the established norm, the likelihood of breakage of the lever increases;
• If the suspension breaks on the way, the trailer becomes untransportable. You need to call a tow truck. Quick repair is not possible here.

If you decide to opt for a rubber-harness version, choose only high-quality spare parts. Al-Ko components perform well.

Everywhere has its strengths and weaknesses. Therefore, when choosing a suspension for your trailer, focus more on the conditions in which the vehicle will be used most of the time.Proper selection of spare parts for a light trailer plays a key role in maintaining and extending the life of the structure.

Do not overload the vehicle, follow the rules for transporting a trailer, follow the recommended speed limit and service all structural elements in time. So you can guarantee yourself trouble-free and long-term operation of your trailer wheeled vehicle for transporting goods.

Thank you all for your attention! Subscribe, leave your comments, ask questions and wait for new interesting materials!