MorRyde IS vs Roadmaster Slipper Springs

[Cate&Rob]

If we should decide that 100 years or so of suspension history using the equalizer between the springs is wrong . . . quoting from the Etrailer Q&A to explain that perspective . . . "Without the equalizer, the trailer will have a rougher ride and the weight won't be balanced across both axles when going over anything other than a flat surface. So potentially if you have 7000 lb trailer going over a bump with 2 , 3500 lb axles. When one axle is temporarily in the "air " the other axle will take on all the weight. That is why you don't see it too often. Equalizers are used to share the weight of the axles going over obstacles.”

At the last Rally, I had considerable discussion with Sonny Dismuke. Sonny is the designer of the Liberty Rider slipper spring system http://www.rvimprovementsystems.com/...stallation.pdf. . . which looks to be essentially the same as the Roadmaster system (maybe just different marketing names?) I asked Sonny why his system didn’t need the load sharing from one axle to the other, but I didn’t get a clear answer. As I mentioned earlier, I don’t think anyone would design a slipper spring suspension with the slipper end leading . . . unless they were trying to compromise to fit existing equalizer attachment hangers.

it is interesting that the “Cadillac” of suspensions systems, the MORryde independent, does not have load sharing between the axles.

So . . . finally . . . to my question . . . Wouldn't it be easier (and cheaper) to design an adapter to the centre hanger that accepted shackle plates from the forward spring and the eye of the aft spring? The aft hanger would be modified to accept shacke plates from the aft spring. Thus we would have two independent axle suspensions and equal braking reaction at each axle. Whether to use a slipper design or a shackle design on the trailing end is a fine tuning thing . . . not a fundamental design thing.

Its the 100 years of history on the equalizer design, that makes me think I might be missing something here .

Rob