Boat trailer springs?

shane191, Sep 9, 4:26am
My boat trailer has seized/rusted dura toque suspension. Im going to replace the suspension. What is best, stick with the dura toques or change to leaf springs! the boat weighs 350kg on the axle. thanks
unclejake, Sep 9, 5:10am
It will be lots easier to replace like for like.

350kgs is very light so the parts should be cheap
ceebee2, Sep 9, 5:16am
+1, Find a mate with an account at Repco as you can get them there.
therafter1, Sep 9, 5:17am
Which is probably why he thinks the duratorques are seized ! .I wasn't aware that the material used in duratorques seized.
ceebee2, Sep 9, 5:18am
PS = I have replaced a few and found the later ones have a larger diameter stub axle than the older ones (Even though matched) so check first as you may have to buy a complete unit with hub etc and then drill the stud holes in the hub (By an engineering shop)
shane191, Sep 9, 8:32am
x1
i never thought of that, maybe the duratorques are just to stiff for the lightweight.
whqqsh, Sep 9, 8:34am
strewth, trailcom do stuff cheap enough just buy a set of correct pattern hubs
bobwyn, Sep 9, 8:35am
Go and see Anton at Bellemy and East in Christchurch he has parabolic spring its only 1 leaf spring so wont rust like a multi spring.
ceebee2, Sep 9, 8:48pm
Second thought! Are you sure they are seized cause I have never seen that except if the rubbers have collapsed. The centre steel of the durotorque is really thick to be rusted away.

Get someone to jump up and down on one side and watch it.I will be surprised if it has collapsed. Should have been found on WOF also.
mm12345, Sep 9, 9:05pm
Durotorques can be a bit nasty if the rubber is perished, they're heavily loaded, and you hit a bump.They'll rotate a part turn, the wheel will take the mudguard off, and the arm on the durotorque or other attached hardware might poke a hole in the side of the boat.
I'd much rather have single parabolic springs as suggested by bobwyn above, but on some boat trailers they're not a feasible option.
splinter67, Sep 9, 9:15pm
easy way to fix the guards being taken out is to mount them onto the duratourque iits easy to do and the guard moves with the wheel and keeps them away from the boat
bwg11, Sep 9, 9:36pm
1+ Used these on my last two boat trailers. Excellent.
ceebee2, Sep 9, 9:37pm
I would always have the Durotorque option.far outlast springs and virtually maintenance free. Those ones are probably 15-20years old.show me a spring that would last half as long.
shane191, Sep 10, 1:17am
it would be easier to replace with durotorques, i see duro's rated at 1 ton, do they make any say half ton!
mm12345, Sep 10, 1:37am
As far as duratorque branded (Trojan/Trailcom), 1 tonne (500 per side) seems to be the minimum. I doubt there'd be much demand for anything smaller.I have seen smaller rated units for sale in the USA.
mrfxit, Sep 10, 6:03am
You could compensate a little by fitting taller profile tires & not running as much pressure. (just a slight difference/ not lots)
mrfxit, Sep 10, 6:08am
You can also get lightly galvanizedleaf springs for boat trailers
mrfxit, Sep 10, 6:14am
Single leaf . no thanks
If it breaks ;-(
2 leaves give you better control & safer if you do bust a leaf.
Simply use nylon leaf spacers on the ends for air gaps & a smoother operation
shane191, Sep 10, 10:38am
Thanks everyone for your thoughts.
I might go the 2 leaf option. I do travel down some rough gravel roads.
When buying springs, say 700kg rating, I take it they are 350kg each side!
And if you were to put 350kg on one spring would the spring be totally flat ie no spring left.
I'm just trying to work out if i was to buy the 700kg rated springs off here listing no 511341135 would the ride be still too rough for the boat as the boatweighs 350kgs empty i may have another 100 kgs of gear in the boat.
morrisman1, Sep 10, 10:51am
Ive got 1500kg springs on the transporter, and with a 1000kg car on there, and the trailer's empty weight of probably 250kg there is no noticeable compression of the springs.
lookoutas, Sep 11, 5:42am
Those parabolic's are shit-hot. I broke springs left-right'n'centre before an engineer put me onto them, and he promised his left one on the block it they ever broke. And they haven't. Which is good, coz I didn't wanta look at that anyway!
They've done a lot of hard work. (the parabolics)

Have a good look at those durotorque's. They tended to rust and heave inside the rubbers, and then the rubbers crapped out. But if they look OK. then they are probably too grunty for the load.
Hence, I agree with the suggestion of bigger tyres and lower pressure.
mrfxit, Sep 11, 9:26am
Yea, it's a very common issue where ppl put assmall a tire on as possible for the job, not realising that it's going to get a beating on the bumps with a heavy load which in turn beats up on the loads