Does anyone know anything about putting safety skids on axles?

[1959newbie]

I have a single axle, seems like a good concept. But I have no idea how they should be made or where to get them.

Thanks in advance,

[C Johnson]

I am guessing that someone took yours off ? Nearly all of the older rigs I have seen have them. I would check with a shop that makes/rebuilds truck springs. They should be able to help you.

Chris

[john hd]

i have seen them on two axle trailers!

must be for triple redunancy.

john

[scottanlily]

hello John hd,

My 60 trdwnd had them when I bought it ,or what was left of them i should say.They were a curved 180 degree shaped leaf spring section ,that curved towards the rear of the coach,.Mounted on the bottom of the spring packMy trailer must have had a few flats as these were ground off by the road .It doesn,t have any panel damage so that was lucky .I have been contemplating a new design such as a steel fixed caster type wheel mounted next to the spring pack on each side ,so if a flat occurs the wheel would hit the ground and roll to some degree rather than drag the springs.I installed new replacement leaf springs so the special drag plate skids were removed.I need to get on that in case i do get a flat. My trdwnd is a single axle also.The wheel setup would be 3" diameter industrial steel wheel for heavy loads ,you got me back onto this idea , I better get to it too.

Scott

[scottanlily]

Hey 59newbie,

My 60 tradewind had them ,or what was left of them I should say as mine were ground off for the most part.I must say a little unnerving really .The po must have had some flats.They were made of curved sections of leaf springs 180degree shaped ,mounted at the bottom of the spring pack .C johnsons is correct about a spring shop making them easily.I am contemplating using a heavy industrial 3" steel caster type steel wheel mounted next to the spring pack on each side that could support the dragging side and roll to some degree .The wheels would be in a fixed position (no swivel).Not totally certain yet though.Still designing it at this point.

Scott

[scottanlily]

Sorry about that double posting why does that happen?? darn it

Scott

[FrenchBern]

Can someone post a picture of what an original safety skid looks like?

[markdoane]

There are two types of safety skids. On your 1959, with leaf springs, the safety skid can be a piece of metal welded to the bottom of the spring plate to protect the ends of the U-bolts from being ground off. The spring plate itself will keep the wheel off the pavement in case of a flat.

In later single axle models with torsion axles, the skid was a piece of leaf spring, as described above and in the stolen* picture below. These were abandoned because they caused more trouble then they were worth.

*Picture is courtesy macman, who hasn't posted here for several months. "Hey, macman"

http://www.flickr.com/photos/swilson/27650221/