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overlander63 · 03-10-2010, 07:17 PM

A 1955 Flying Cloud came in to the shop today for a safety inspection and some plumbing repairs. I got a surprise when I crawled underneath. Can you see what's wrong in this picture? Besides the obvious fact the photo is rotated...

**azflycaster** · 03-10-2010, 07:24 PM

A 55 FC should have originally had a spring and axle setup and you can see the shackles for the springs. Someone replaced it with a torsion axle somewhere down the road, but how is the axle attached to the frame?

Xbob2 · 03-10-2010, 07:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by overlander63

A 1955 Flying Cloud came in to the shop today for a safety inspection and some plumbing repairs. I got a surprise when I crawled underneath. Can you see what's wrong in this picture? Besides the obvious fact the photo is rotated...

NO SPRINGS! A torque axil on a 55! (Needs replacement)
Bob

**HiHoAgRV** · 03-10-2010, 07:27 PM

Is that a "leading" arm torsion suspension?

aircooled4 · 03-10-2010, 07:50 PM

hmmm...yep, torsion axle...kinda scary....

barts · 03-10-2010, 08:29 PM

From a mech. engineering standpoint, the reversed axle can cause problems during braking.... but if the unit has no trailer brakes, this will have little practical effect. The real issue for me is that the axle brackets appear to be welded to the edge of a mounting plate; this places a heavy bending load on that plate during cornering and is not safe if that plate isn't heavy and properly welded to the frame.

If the torsion axle is desirable, the safest way to proceed IMO is to connect the spring hangers w/ a piece of 2" square tube w/ a proper axle mounting plate welded on. If this trailer was fitted w/ a drop axle originally, this may make for an excessive ride height unless the axle is mounted above the 2" tube....

- Bart

overlander63 · 03-10-2010, 09:05 PM

Yes, the torsion axle was installed reversed, and welded (badly) to a single piece of steel which was also welded (badly) to the frame. It is a used axle off a 1961-1962 Airstream, and the 12" (original 1962), in addition to being also installed reversed, are hooked up. The steel plate that holds the torsion axle in place flexes when the trailer moves, either by towing, or even by walking around inside

. The original shock brackets for the 1961-era axle have been partially torched off as well, so not even shocks on this study of rationalization.
The owner of the trailer is going to make a decision on whether to replace the hacked-up axle with a new torsion axle, or replace it with a leaf spring axle. I'm leaning toward cutting off the "stuff" that's there, and replacing it with a leaf spring axle. The trailer shell isn't bad, it being a California Dutchman Panel model. the interior, well... what's there is in good shape, though more of it isn't "period" than I'd like, if 'twere mine. I'll take a camera to work tomorrow, so we don't have to stand our monitors on their sides to view the photos.

**HiHoAgRV** · 03-10-2010, 09:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HiHoAgRV

Is that a "leading" arm torsion suspension?

Whooo Hoooo! So I win an ArtSteam T Shirt and pick next months subject!

Oops...wrong thread....

Anyway, I have seen what a leading axle does under braking/ acceleration on some 'non-american

' military transport vehicles. Its ugly.

It would be cool to re-install a proper spring axle.

overlander63 · 03-10-2010, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HiHoAgRV

Anyway, I have seen what a leading axle does under braking/ acceleration on some 'non-american

' military transport vehicles. Its ugly.

It would be cool to re-install a proper spring axle.

Yes, I'm trying to lead the customer in that direction, though we can put in whichever one he wants. We have the technology, and we can bring it in under $6 million...