Leaf Spring Brackets
Most people don’t realize what an expensive, time consuming, headache inducing endeavor towing can be. To casual observers, they see a trailer being towed down the highway, and they assume that it’s as simple as hooking one up to the other and driving.
Those who have had to tow trailers know that it is quite the opposite. You have to make sure the hitch size matches the trailer, know the weight capacity of the hitch, truck and engine, check the break systems of both vehicles, fix the mirrors to account for the suddenly huge blind spot created by towing a vehicle, check all of the lights, and make sure everything is securely in place.
What’s really frustrating is that even after you’ve done all of this, you still might not be ready to go. Because even if you’ve checked all of those boxes off, and you’ve figured the weight right, you could still have a problem most don’t think of. Most people make sure to check the weight capacity of the vehicle (and a truck’s bed, if present), engine and hitch. But the suspension can cause great problems as well, which is what a leaf spring bracket is for.
You can recognize a problem with your suspension easily – you’ll notice your vehicle bouncing when you drive. This might not seem like a huge problem at first, but if your suspension isn’t flexible enough, your vehicle’s tires can actually start to leave the ground after bumps, causing you to lose a significant amount of control.
If your suspension is the problem, leaf springs can be a huge help. They aren’t a cure all, and they won’t help you if the weight of your trailer is too much for the engine or truck bed. But what leaf spring brackets do is absorb some of the weight fluctuation that occurs when your vehicle hits those annoying bumps in the road.
Shopping for leaf springs isn’t the easiest thing in the world, mostly because they come in a lot of shapes and sizes, and serve different needs. For instance, leaf springs come in both monoleaf and multileaf springs. The multileaf variety comes with more than one metal spring, and offers more suspension relief – and, of course, is more expensive. Basically, the multileaf spring is just more than one monoleaf spring tacked together.
Leaf springs are held onto the truck and trailer with brackets. Leaf spring brackets come in different shapes and sizes, so in order to buy one, you have to make sure that it is made specifically for your vehicle. For the trailer, they are placed underneath the carriage, so in order to install them, you’ll actually need to remove one of the wheels to get to the area you need to install them in. Underneath the trailer, you’ll see two hangers on which you can attach the leaf spring brackets. The installation process will vary based on the style of leaf spring that you have (open eyed or double eyed), as well as the shape of your brackets and the other equipment that comes with your leaf spring.
Leaf spring are often overlooked by even the most veteran travelers as a cause for towing problems, but the fact of the matter is that your suspension is as important as any other portion of your vehicle when you’re towing. Remember to make sure whether your car already has leaf springs, and what their weight capacity is; otherwise you could be doing something redundant. But if your suspension isn’t up t snuff, be sure to upgrade it. Accidents happen because of over-stressed suspensions all of the time.
