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03-10-2010, 07:17 PM
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#1
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Retired.
Currently Looking...
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, At Large
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 21,276
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What's wrong with this picture?
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...
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Meddle not in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy, and taste good with ketchup.
Terry
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03-10-2010, 07:24 PM
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#2
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Site Team
2002 25' Safari
Dewey
, Arizona
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 15,618
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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?
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Richard
Wally Byam Airstream Club 7513
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03-10-2010, 07:25 PM
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#3
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4 Rivet Member 
1962 28' Ambassador
1962 30' Sovereign
Currently Looking...
Webster Groves
, Missouri
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 309
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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
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03-10-2010, 07:27 PM
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#4
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Rivet Master 
1991 34' Excella
1963 26' Overlander
1961 26' Overlander
Central
, Mississippi
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 5,919
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Is that a "leading" arm torsion suspension? 
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03-10-2010, 07:50 PM
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#5
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Rivet Master
1971 31' Sovereign
1967 22' Safari
1958 22' World Traveler
Pardeeville
, Wisconsin
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 569
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hmmm...yep, torsion axle...kinda scary....
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Jay (KB8VMO)
WBCCI #10917
AIR #32349
TAC #WI-2
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03-10-2010, 08:29 PM
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#6
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Maniacal Engineer
1971 25' Tradewind
Lopez Island
, Washington
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,244
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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
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03-10-2010, 09:05 PM
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#7
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Retired.
Currently Looking...
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, At Large
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 21,276
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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. 
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Meddle not in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy, and taste good with ketchup.
Terry
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03-10-2010, 09:18 PM
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#8
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Rivet Master
1991 34' Excella
1963 26' Overlander
1961 26' Overlander
Central
, Mississippi
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 5,919
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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.
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03-10-2010, 09:27 PM
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#9
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Retired.
Currently Looking...
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, At Large
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 21,276
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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.
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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... 
__________________
Meddle not in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy, and taste good with ketchup.
Terry
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03-10-2010, 10:48 PM
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#10
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Rivet Master
1956 22' Flying Cloud
1953 32' Liner
1955 22' Safari
Valley View
, Texas
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 3,971
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Could it be for sale
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"If it can't be reduced, reused, repaired, rebuilt, refurbished, refinished, resold, recycled or composted
then it should be restricted, redesigned or removed from production."
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