While towing my elderly Rollercoaster 1.3HE home over the billiard-table-smooth roads of Ireland. I noticed that the suspension didn't seem to be doing much as I looked at it in the rear view. One closer inspection there seems to be a good deal of old Hammerite all over the trailing arms, could this be stopping them performing as they should? Should I expect to be able to see some flex as I tow?
No, paint wont stop anything. Your arms are probably made into the axle with rubber bushes so the only movement you will get is very slight as these compress just enough to take the shock away from the trailer. Your tyres will also help a bit.
I have a box trailer that was nominally rated for something like 400Kg. I had a similar thought to you and as an experiment got a mate to lower 2T of Type 1 into the box (one of those earthworks moving bags & a tractor back actor) - I got no perceptible suspension deflection whatsoever. I then changed the suspension units.
The rubber inside goes hard eventually & they stiffen up...... (at risk of this heading for the bilges!)
Clewless
