Our wives and girl friends might understand us shooting old cars, but a crappy utility trailer? This is the kind of thing that makes them question our sanity, and perhaps not without reason. But, yes, this trailer caught my eye, because of the distinctive Toronado wheels on it. Well, they could Eldorado wheels too, but it was just borrowing from the Toronado. Anyway, the really crazy part was that I actually got down on my knees to see if this used the Toronado’s rear wheel suspension too, which was by a pair of simple leaf springs. And I guess I’m glad I did, because it raises a mystery. And I’m also glad Stephanie wasn’t along…what are you doing crawling under that trailer in the street?
Actually, she’s the world’s best sport about my proclivities. But still; a trailer? Well, these Toro/Eldo wheels are unique, and recognizable a block away, for the deep offset and prominent finned drum brakes (Don’t get me started; that’s a bad subject).
Here I am, and no, the rear axle and suspensions are a decidedly different from the Toro’s. A bit too much so…are these torsion bars in those round cylinders, from which the trailing arms connect to the axles. They almost have to be, but so short and squat. Hmmm….
They somehow look familiar. I know someone out there will clue me in. Stephanie is waiting anxiously for an answer….
I know nothing about these, but they look like a very elegant setup for low ride height with maximum ground clearance. I would guess that this may be a more common suspension system on trailers than I might first guess.
I love the Toro wheels, but this guy is breaking one of the cardinal rules of trailer tires – never mix whitewalls and blackwalls on the same side. 🙂 That one whitewall looks mighty old, from the size of the whitewall. Early 1980s?
The beam axles ruin any potential for good ground clearance. This whole setup is way too complex for a utility trailer.
There are stops already there to limit travel. What is that chain for?
Could that be a VW Beetle spring plate cover in the last photograph?
Well, they’re certainly very similar, so I assume it has to be a torsion bar suspension. Perhaps a unit made just for the purpose, or? The tubes holding the bars certainly aren’t VW units.
Yes and the tubes holding the torsion bars are two different diameters and two different lengths. It seems that the smaller diameter, longer tube would have a softer spring rate, and that the larger diameter, shorter tube would have a stiffer spring rate.
Did the set of wheels with the smaller diameter, longer tubes also have a crossbar and a chain?
I think those tubes are the same length and diameter, and you’re being tricked by the optics of the camera that took the photo.
It seems to me that trailers like this could be counter intuitive. You want a light weight trailer so the weight you haul is mostly cargo and not the weight of the trailer. That is why trailers made out of old pickups or a pick up bed attached to a trailer have always confused me a bit. Nice catch by the way Paul, shame you did not get a photo of the license plate, I am not not sure how Oregon does trailers.
Smaller utility trailers don’t require any licensing at all. I forget exactly what the weight cut off is.But that means we see a lot of junky trailers, including made with wood frames.
Wow, that is ummm, interesting. Explains why I see some sketchy looking trailers. I recently found out that there are no safety inspections in the whole state and only some places have emissions testing. The only way Oregon could be more free is if the DMV got rid of the front plate requirement.
Looks like someone took the rear dual axles and wheels from a 70’s GMC Motorhome. I’m just joking around, but is it possible?
The GMCs had air suspension, and no beam axles, just trailing arms. That was a key design feature to allow a low floor.
This is what came to my mind.
Hmmm, well all I can add is I am a sucker for finned brake drums…
Looks like a manufactured torsion bar specifically made for trailers. I did a google search and found this link to one site:
http://www.southwestwheel.com/store/p-3181-adjustable-425-lb-torsion-half-axles.aspx
And here’s a pict I found:
the difference is that is the entire unit, you just weld the flat section to the frame stick on the hub and wheel and you are ready to go.
That’s what I thought as well, rubber torsion suspension. The trailing arms look to be just some flat steel so the beams between them would help with side loads, still not great though.
That’s a low trailer, but I know of one lower!
http://oldschool.co.nz/2011/forum/index.php?/topic/39697-fs-slam-trailer-auckland/
And it’s all legal in NZ. We have to have all trailers registered and check for road worthiness.
That’s awesome – I can barely believe it’s legal here! Lol, crazy really when you think of all the hoops you have to jump through to lower a car…!
To me it looks like the ends of the stock Toro/Eldo I beam axle with a piece of standard I beam welded in the center. That sure looks like leaf spring pads where the torsion bar is attached. Now that torsion bar assembly who knows.
Oops wrong thread