Broke a leaf spring. Were do I get one.

I would call a tow company and have it flatbeded to the nearest trailer repair shop. This is seriously a repair to leave to the professionals.

[Destroyer]

Originally Posted by clarktm1275

I would call a tow company and have it flatbeded to the nearest trailer repair shop. This is seriously a repair to leave to the professionals.

Sorry Clark, I gotta disagree with you. By the time you pay for the flatbed, the labor @ $85 an hour, and the spring(s) you could almost buy a trailer. As to the "professionals"... well, that's a matter of opinion. Anyone that gets paid for doing a job is a "professional" in that job.. even if they just walked in off the street the day before. As to the job itself, let's see.. The main spring is usually a "slider" type, so you have one bolt attaching it to the trailer and another bolt up thru the center attaching it and the other leafs to the axle, and two u-bolts holding it all together. Paying someone hundreds of dollars to undo two bolts and two nuts, remove the damaged spring, slide a new spring in and then reinsert two bolts and tighten two nuts is (IMHO) just a waste of money.
Put the trailer up on jackstands, remove the tire for clearance and accessibility, undo the bolts & nuts, remove the damaged leaf, slide the new leaf in, redo the bolts, tighten the nuts on the u-bolts, remount the tire, put trailer back down.. A good backyard mechanic should be able to do the whole job in less than 3 hours and have time for a cold one AFTER the job is done.

Look up trailer repair in the yellow pages and have a towing company flatbed it to the trailer shop to prevent further damage. They trailer repair shops have special tools to make sure the job is done correctly to D.O.T standards.,

[Destroyer]

Originally Posted by clarktm1275

Look up trailer repair in the yellow pages and have a towing company flatbed it to the trailer shop to prevent further damage. They trailer repair shops have special tools to make sure the job is done correctly to D.O.T standards.,

Did you even bother to read the preceeding post? What "special tools" do trailer repair shops have I wonder? Ratchet Wrenches? What D.O.T. standards are you making reference to?
Maybe someone doesn't have the time to do the job. That I would understand...but to come in here and make it sound like this is a job for pros only is simply wrong. It's a simple repair that any wrench turner can do safely, quickly and legally, providing they have simple hand tools and the proper replacement part(s).

[bradford]

Taqwache posted this 14 months ago. Hopefully he followed all appropriate DOT protocols.

Remember: Righty Tighty, Lefty Loosy.

[phatdaddy]

maybe he took it to a professional trailer shop and has not got it back yet.

[Destroyer]

Originally Posted by phatdaddy

maybe he took it to a professional trailer shop and has not got it back yet.

[RidgeRunner]

Very funny. The only other tool you may need to take it apart is a smoke wrench.
BTW- Does anyone know if the cheap China made springs even have the DOT's approval? I seem to recall there being nothing special at all about the U-bolts, or even the axles for that matter. Down here in redneck country a homemade trailer gets a registration after it has been weighed and there is never any inspection whatsoever.

[Skools Out]

Originally Posted by clarktm1275

I would call a tow company and have it flatbeded to the nearest trailer repair shop. This is seriously a repair to leave to the professionals.

Originally Posted by clarktm1275

Look up trailer repair in the yellow pages and have a towing company flatbed it to the trailer shop to prevent further damage. They trailer repair shops have special tools to make sure the job is done correctly to D.O.T standards.,

lol i needed that laugh call a tow truck um can you pass that stuff you smokin this way too lol


agree with you 1000000% Destroyer



Destroyer
Senior Member

Sorry Clark, I gotta disagree with you. By the time you pay for the flatbed, the labor @ $85 an hour, and the spring(s) you could almost buy a trailer. As to the "professionals"... well, that's a matter of opinion. Anyone that gets paid for doing a job is a "professional" in that job.. even if they just walked in off the street the day before. As to the job itself, let's see.. The main spring is usually a "slider" type, so you have one bolt attaching it to the trailer and another bolt up thru the center attaching it and the other leafs to the axle, and two u-bolts holding it all together. Paying someone hundreds of dollars to undo two bolts and two nuts, remove the damaged spring, slide a new spring in and then reinsert two bolts and tighten two nuts is (IMHO) just a waste of money.
Put the trailer up on jackstands, remove the tire for clearance and accessibility, undo the bolts & nuts, remove the damaged leaf, slide the new leaf in, redo the bolts, tighten the nuts on the u-bolts, remount the tire, put trailer back down.. A good backyard mechanic should be able to do the whole job in less than 3 hours and have time for a cold one AFTER the job is done.

Did you even bother to read the preceeding post? What "special tools" do trailer repair shops have I wonder? Ratchet Wrenches? What D.O.T. standards are you making reference to?
Maybe someone doesn't have the time to do the job. That I would understand...but to come in here and make it sound like this is a job for pros only is simply wrong. It's a simple repair that any wrench turner can do safely, quickly and legally, providing they have simple hand tools and the proper replacement part(s).
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