M101 A2 Helper springs

[RJM27]

What do you guys think. Springs on my my A2 seem a bit weak, compared to everything else on the trailer. I put Hellwig over load springs on my B2500 Van conversion 2-years ago and they are the best. Do you see any reason why they won't work on the A2.
Hellwig Products | load pro series | Sway Bars, Air Springs, and Leaf Springs

 

[taildragger03]

An option over having new springs made.

 

[RJM27]

No I think in additon to the springs, I beleive the rest of the axle and shocks can handle it, think the springs are undersized for the whole trailer. Also the Hellwigs are a lot less expensive as well.

 

[RKBA]

I replaced the five leaf original springs on my A2 with the heavier duty six leaf packs from Saturn Surplus at $60 each plus shipping.

I added a photo of one of those springs. It also shows how you can do a spring under axle conversion with very little effort.

To answer your original question, I think the overloads would probable work but I believe they are all made to fit 2.5" wide leafs. I don't know if that will be an issue when mounting them up.

I bet Monroe has some of those load leveling coil over shocks that would fit as well.

 

[blybrook]

You can get 3" overloads. I had a pair for my old truck. You may be better off getting your hands on some coil springs and utilizing them between the axle and the frame. Have seen it done several times for a fraction of the cost with the same benefits.

 

[RJM27]

Thanks for the suggestions, I still have to figure out what axle and spring layout would be close to the M101A2, Blazer, 2500 Chev PU, Dodge Ram????? so Hellwig can send something that will fit.

 

[RKBA]

Thanks for the suggestions, I still have to figure out what axle and spring layout would be close to the M101A2, Blazer, 2500 Chev PU, Dodge Ram????? so Hellwig can send something that will fit.

I would look at the pre-2005 Toyota helper springs. That should get you real close to the correct width/length dimension for the M101 main leaf.

These would probably work:

Toyota Helper Springs - 1972-2004 Toyota Pickup & Tacoma 2wd - 1500 lbs helper springs


personally not a big fan of the clamp-on helper springs - on all the trucks I have seen them on, they put more wear on the springs at the contact points then I would be willing to live with.

If you could score some Jeep CJ-7 front springs for cheap to free, it would be super easy to mix in some extra leafs to beef up the pack. I have done that more than a few times for low buck lifts and/or additional strength. A new spring center bolt, some C-clamps, a couple of minutes worth of work and Bob's your Uncle.

No other common vehicle that I can think of has 2" wide springs - IH Scout perhaps but those are getting sort of rare. Toyotas were close to 2.25 (metric) and everything else I am aware of is either 2.5" or 3" wide. Standard old trailer junk is of course 1.75" as is the M416 trailer setup.

I have no idea about the M105 spring width. I betcha someone could spare a few leafs out of those extra stout packs and not even miss them!

 

[blybrook]

No other common vehicle that I can think of has 2" wide springs - IH Scout perhaps but those are getting sort of rare. Toyotas were close to 2.25 (metric) and everything else I am aware of is either 2.5" or 3" wide. Standard old trailer junk is of course 1.75" as is the M416 trailer setup.

I can attest that the IH Scout line does in fact have 2" springs (for the most part). Older 80 & 800 models were sometimes smaller (I have 3 of them). You can get them made at any spring shop, so availability is not an issue.

 

[RJM27]

Thanks for the input, That is what is GREAT about SS. Like the idea about adding extra springs and also checked out Saturn Surplus, if they are newer or not used, that will be a good place to start, I go to Carlise alot, so not hard to do a drive by.

 

[RKBA]

Thanks for the input, That is what is GREAT about SS. Like the idea about adding extra springs and also checked out Saturn Surplus, if they are newer or not used, that will be a good place to start, I go to Carlise alot, so not hard to do a drive by.

Well the pair Saturn sent me were NOS. They has some very slight surface rust from storage but were otherwise perfect. The bushings were even protected with nylon inserts.

For the price, I don't see how you can go wrong.

 

[xiongy]

I replaced the five leaf original springs on my A2 with the heavier duty six leaf packs from Saturn Surplus at $60 each plus shipping.

I added a photo of one of those springs. It also shows how you can do a spring under axle conversion with very little effort.

...

That's not the standard m101a2 axle, is it?

 

[RKBA]

That's not the standard m101a2 axle, is it?

Yes it sure is. All I did was trim/grind the u-bolt plate area of the axle casting a little bit to use it for a spring perch. It took about ten minutes with a 4" side grinder. Once you do that, a common set of u-bolts and spring plates for a 7K rated axle fastens it all up. There is even a casting hole already in it for spring center bolt location. It is easily reversed as long as the original perch is retained (like in the photo).

It drops the trailer about four inches, but still easily clears the LT235/85R16 tires with plenty of room to spare.

Highly recommended mod; it makes the trailer about the same rail height as a standard 3/4 ton pickup truck for easier loading and unloading.

I have since swapped to a plain-jane trailer axle for ease of electric brake installation but kept the spring-under configuration.

 

[xiongy]

Thanks for the information, that's awesome!
Now all I need is to actually get an m101a2.