# Springs?



## usingmyrights (Feb 23, 2011)

I recently bought my first boat and the trailer needs some work. I haven't even got to looking at the bearings yet to see if they need replaced because one of the leafsprings is broken. They did a rigging job of putting it together it looks like, but the rest of the trailer looks good with only a couple of the bunk boards needing to be replaced. These were single leaf springs and my question is do you really need them? My dad has a jetski trailer and it doesn't have any leaf springs on it. I found a place online that it looks like I can get the springs for about $45. The 2nd part of this question is that they used a small square tube axel. Would I be able to drive through the axel and just run a heavyduty bolt through the spring and the axel? The last set was welded, but the spring broke at the weld so thats an obvious weak point. I'm ready to get this boat on the river/bigger lake, but its too big to load into my truck bed.


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## crazymanme2 (Feb 23, 2011)

Leaf springs are usually U-bolted to the axle.You do not want to drill through your axle as this will weaken it.


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## screwballl (Feb 23, 2011)

usingmyrights said:


> I recently bought my first boat and the trailer needs some work. I haven't even got to looking at the bearings yet to see if they need replaced because one of the leafsprings is broken. They did a rigging job of putting it together it looks like, but the rest of the trailer looks good with only a couple of the bunk boards needing to be replaced. These were single leaf springs and my question is do you really need them? My dad has a jetski trailer and it doesn't have any leaf springs on it. I found a place online that it looks like I can get the springs for about $45. The 2nd part of this question is that they used a small square tube axel. Would I be able to drive through the axel and just run a heavyduty bolt through the spring and the axel? The last set was welded, but the spring broke at the weld so thats an obvious weak point. I'm ready to get this boat on the river/bigger lake, but its too big to load into my truck bed.



First, there should be usually 2 or 3 leafs on the leaf springs for these trailers.

Second, you can get the leaf springs for a good price LINK HERE, just measure as that sites shows, look to see if it has both bolt ends or one end is slip on, and buy. For my trailer, which I do need to replace them, they are $15 ea. Make sure you get the proper sized (galvanized) Ubolt to fasten the leafs to the axle, DO NOT DRILL THROUGH THE AXLE or leaf springs.

Third, DO NOT DRILL THROUGH THE AXLE. Its strength comes from being a single solid bar. Drilling through it is a recipe for disaster with the wheel flying off and your trailer bouncing down the road potentially killing someone.

It is better to do it right and get it done the way it is designed rather than rigging the trailer even worse and causing even more problems. Springs are fine when most of the weight is right above the axle (up/down weight), but when you are looking at a boat, there is more weight over the length which is why leaf springs is needed (front/back weight). If you are concerned about it you can double up and put springs between the top of the leafs and bottom of the trailer frame but when you are talking about a 200-300 lb boat, that is just overkill.


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## usingmyrights (Feb 23, 2011)

Do they make ubolts for square tube axels? Thats why I was thinking about drilling. Price and availibility of parts. I guess to do it the right way I just need the bracket that goes under the springs and find the right u-bolts. Correct?


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## lckstckn2smknbrls (Feb 23, 2011)

My trailer had a mono-leaf spring set up. I replaced them with 3 leaf springs from Tractor Supply $30.00 each. Yes there are square U-bolts.


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## KMixson (Feb 23, 2011)

Do NOT drill through the axle. That will weaken it considerably. It will cause more problems down the road. 

There are square u-bolts out there. you may have to go to a fastener shop like Fastenal to find them. Fastenal even has the u-bolt brackets if you need those.

Here is the link for Fastenal with the square bend u-bolt page open.

https://www.fastenal.com/web/produc...nd&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Nty=1&searchBox=1


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