Thread: Simplicity offroad caravan suspension

I had the single axle version on a 15ft van. The suspension tore out of the chassis! It was far too stiff and offered NO suspension movement at all. I wouldn't consider any system that uses only one spring for two axles. That spring has to be able to carry the entire weight, so inevitably is too strong.
However, simplicity do make a new suspension that uses 2 coil springs, but retains the load sharing, which is a good thing.

Personally, I will now stick to live axle, leaf spring, WITH shock absorbers. Best all round if you can't afford to go all the way to air suspension.

Originally Posted by ytt105

I had the single axle version on a 15ft van. The suspension tore out of the chassis! It was far too stiff and offered NO suspension movement at all. I wouldn't consider any system that uses only one spring for two axles. That spring has to be able to carry the entire weight, so inevitably is too strong.
However, simplicity do make a new suspension that uses 2 coil springs, but retains the load sharing, which is a good thing.

Personally, I will now stick to live axle, leaf spring, WITH shock absorbers. Best all round if you can't afford to go all the way to air suspension.

I don't htink this design would do that. There is a major builder of these "offroad" vans that doesn't use a full crossmember so they fatigue crack the mount away. Just take a look and you will quickly pick the weak points. Eg: I just googled "offroad caravan suspenion"



This one has the same issue with the shocker mount. That is going to rip the side out of the chassis. The tiny "stub" the shockers are mounted to need to be a full chassis member (so it can't flex and twist).

I would think that chain or strap suspension travel limiters and effective bump stops would reduce that problem greatly.
My 1997 Camp'o'matic has a roughly similar trailing arm setup with short Koni shocks (F100 twin I beam) mounted at an angle inwards, and is fitted with rubber bump stops and chains. It has been around Australia several times, and apparently the Konis couldn't be rebuilt as the foot valves were damaged which suggests some air time with overloading before I bought it. Yet the shock mounts are fine. So my conclusion is that the loading is low as long as the shock is not over extended or compressed too much.
Regards PhilipA

Originally Posted by ytt105

I had the single axle version on a 15ft van. The suspension tore out of the chassis! It was far too stiff and offered NO suspension movement at all. I wouldn't consider any system that uses only one spring for two axles. That spring has to be able to carry the entire weight, so inevitably is too strong.
However, simplicity do make a new suspension that uses 2 coil springs, but retains the load sharing, which is a good thing.

Personally, I will now stick to live axle, leaf spring, WITH shock absorbers. Best all round if you can't afford to go all the way to air suspension.

Ditto,

There is absolutely no reason and no need to have independent suspension on a caravan .

Live axles are better , stronger, cheaper, don't go out of adjustment and easier to maintain. You can have exactly the same spring rates and shockers as independent without the issues.

Originally Posted by goingbush

Ditto,

There is absolutely no reason and no need to have independent suspension on a caravan .

Live axles are better , stronger, cheaper, don't go out of adjustment and easier to maintain. You can have exactly the same spring rates and shockers as independent without the issues.

I can think of one good reason....

While I don’t think I’d ever tow a van again but if I did I’d have spec it to have air bag suspension.....Same smooth ride as the weight changes and leveling the van.

Hang on that’s two reasons.....

But than again I’d also have electric over hydraulic disc brakes as well.

Weeds
You can have air springs and solid axles no problem at all

Independent triller suspension is a solution looking for a problem

It introduces left right load shifting that needs correcting - actually over springing as sway bars are too expensive

Independent suspension was made for bulk trailer makers to simplify production

Bolt/weld on a left or right suspension bogey at what ever track width required ....

It just needed some snazzy marketing to sell it to the public - thanks Kimberley kamper S!!!

Anyways

I agree there is no good reason to have independent suspension on a trailer

S

To me the greatest advantage of independent suspension is stability on corrugated dirt roads and particularly on corrugated corners.

My old Camp'o'matic has never stepped out on corrugated corners even when the D2 steps out and sits straight and true on the worst corrugations.
Regards PhilipA.

Originally Posted by goingbush

Ditto,

There is absolutely no reason and no need to have independent suspension on a caravan .

Live axles are better , stronger, cheaper, don't go out of adjustment and easier to maintain. You can have exactly the same spring rates and shockers as independent without the issues.

I can only think of one instance where independent suspension might assist a van, and that's where the van has more than one axle. But the fact remains that the whole set-up relies on 3 support points - the tow point, the left wheel and the right wheel. As long as the tow point has good Articulation, there'd be no need for any independent suspension.
Just another way to suck gullible consumers into spending money they don't need to.