Torsion axle or Leaf Springs

[JLWatts]

Replacing the trailer for my 2002 Triton TR21 and the trailer I’m considering is torsion axle. What is the down side to torsion to leaf springs or leaf to torsion?

[mactlman]

torsion does everything better--rides better, lower noise and wear issues only issue is keeping the bolt tightened to 150 lbs ft. check it yearly

[Gamblerman65]

Torsion

[CJ1]

Torsion, no more leaf spring trailers if I can avoid it. My 14k tilt trailer gets overloaded alot and no issues. I can't say that with my 14k spring dump trailer. Cj

[Eric ZX190]

My last boat trailer had a torsion axle (bought boat new). By year five, I was on my third replacement axle. While torsion axles will give you a better ride and is much quieter, I believe they are more prone to failure. My current boat trailer has leaf springs and I am very happy to not have to worry about torsion axle failure.

[adchunts]

I’ll pick leaf springs every time. I installed a cushioned wet bolt kit on mine a few years ago, and it is very quiet. Much less to go wrong than torsion axles.

[BKF]

I’ve had a few of both. I prefer leaf springs. There’s only 1 fix for torsion when 1 of the rubber inserts wears out. New axle!
I do change out the bolts, bushings and shackles on the leaf springs to a wet bolt system.

[bpicinc]

I guess i'm old school, I stick with leaf springs!

[DaveBrabec]

There’s a post of torsion axle failure also. Maintenance on leaf springs is fine. My boat trailer has leaf springs. Travel trailer has torsion. Both are fine

[21XDC]

I prefer the torsion, But I did have one side fail and had to replace the whole axle.

[Aj14]

I prefer the torsion, But I did have one side fail and had to replace the whole axle.

It was night and day on the ride for me changing over to torsion axles.
What fails on them and what happens when it fails?
Can you still tow for at least a short time when and if it does fail?

[21XDC]

Mine is a single axle and cannot tow anywhere when it happens. The square vulcanized rubber in the square axle breaks loose/spins. This is the suspension. No way to fix it other than replace.

[Aj14]

Mine is a single axle and cannot tow anywhere when it happens. The square vulcanized rubber in the square axle breaks loose/spins. This is the suspension. No way to fix it other than replace.

Wow, my luck will happen when I'm 400 miles away from nowhere.
Thank you for the info.
Also when you say to replace, you mean the entire axle?

[21XDC]

YES!

[trashmanssd]

Leaf springs with Shock absorbers is the best option IMO. Torsion has very limited travel and is very stiff. It is amazing on smooth roads but can be harsh and jarring on bad roads and large bumps.



Click to expand and see Phenix with leaf springs with shock absorbers.

2016-08-17-18.29.20-3-scaled.jpg

[billnorman1]

With leaf springs the alignment is pretty much guaranteed to be correct unless you hit something and hit it hard. When torsion axles wear, the alignment suffers and tire wear is increased.

[Johnnyred]

I like my tandem with leaf springs especially after changing out to a spring rating more inline with the weight of my boat with gear. Also a wet bolt kit helped quiet it down. I wish I had shocks for sure. That Phoenix setup is nice.

[lugbolt]

cant compare boat trailer but being that I've had a career in drag racing, I can honestly say that I have never once had a torsion axle fail. We are talking 200,000-250,000 miles towing on each trailer. One is 28' the other is 32' I haven't even heard of it from others. I have had, in the past, broken leaf springs. As far as being stranded? If you break a leaf spring, you're on the side of the road looking for a spring. Maybe you'll find one, but then you have to get there. Either way, it's a big inconvenience. I have broken quite a few leaf springs on cargo, utility, and boat trailers (not due to rust) but never a torsion axle.

Torsion axles are often misunderstood even by the people that sell them. They need to be loaded at about 75% of their capacity to be functional as designed (from what I am told). IOW, if the axle is rated for 2000 lbs, it should have 1500 lbs on it. Most people think that if you put a bigger axle in it, that it'll last longer and that's not the case. Same for tires. You don't need ST E load rating tires on a boat trailer that hauls a 2500lb boat for instance. They won't last any longer, sometimes won't last half as long as the correct tires for it. I went to 16" truck radials (D rating) on the bigger trailer because it can handle 16". The smaller one is 15" and I just run the standard C rated marathons; which is what it came with. People say that the C rated ones are too "small" but they get replaced at about 40,000 miles, and still usually have tread on them. They just dry crack and I get nervous. Hate hate hate having a blowout way out in the sticks when it's 277 degrees outside; even though I have all the power tools to change it in about 5 minutes on the side of the freeway.

again I cannot say why the rubber wears out, maybe it's a function of being submerged in water? Ours have been buletproof. Nothing breaks wears out comes loose, I have to put brakes on every so often but that's about it. And service the bearings. Almost forgot that, and it reminds me I need to go do it again before the season starts.

EDIT: Link included for some reading
http://www.ucfamerica.com/FlexirideT...EAKTHROUGH.pdf

[CJ1]

I am on the hunt for another tilt bed trailer and you can bet it will have torsion axles. Beneke doesn't even have a option for spring axles anymore if ever. All the trailers with 10k axles I am looking at are torsion. Saturday I just towed just under 600 miles and as usual no suspension worries on the trailer that has 30k+ on it. Before I go on a trip with any of my spring axle trailers I always inspect them and between loose parts, worn or missing slipper plates and pivot points there is always something needing fixed with spring units that see high miles and loads. Cj

[ChuckTR21]

I have torsion and like them but there are failure points, as mentioned.
The rubber insert can fail but the trailing arm bolts can fail, or loosen as well. If they get lose, the trailing arm will creep up on the splined end and your tire is in the fender. These bolts should be grade 8, and after suffering such a failure, I’d check them for 150 pounds of torque at least quarterly or more frequently.
I limped home on 3 wheels after my failure.