Would HD springs on a 90 help cure a heavy trailer swinging?

Hi

I don’t tow a huge amount with my 90 td5 but when I do it’s usualy heavy loads as I am carting cattle and I can often be over 3t. Dunno how many of you cart cattle but the main problem isn’t so much the weight but that they can move around a lot leading the weight shifting all over the place and some hairy moments if it causes the trailer to swing. You can shut them to the front of the trailer to keep the weight forward as that reduces swinging but it means of course that the Land Rover sits down at the back.

I’m getting fed up with hairy moments so I need to do something about it. I suppose I could get an anti swing kit fitted but that won’t cure the Landrover sitting down at the back if they all move forward and the steering going light.

Has anyone got experience of HD springs for this job and know if they would help with the Landrover sitting down at the back and getting light at the front and also help with the swinging issue? I have new monroe shocks fitted all round if that helps.


Of course if HD springs compromise off road performance they might not be the answer.

Bet your using a twin axle ifor box?

Normally get an extra partition & split the load.
Cows make my 110 move & I have HD springs.
I had a 510xl horse trailer( Carrys 5 ponies or 3horses) and this ran at 3.4t & would travel max 50mph. Yep you could wobble if windy.

Make sure your level when towing.

I have not towed with HD springs but in a 90, unloaded on the road they are skitty and it seems to just jump over bumps rather than the shocks absorbing the bumps.

What about helper springs or something?

Maybe block the front of the trailer with some straw bales if your not towing a full load?

Hicap phill said:

Bet your using a twin axle ifor box?

Normally get an extra partition & split the load.
Cows make my 110 move & I have HD springs.
I had a 510xl horse trailer( Carrys 5 ponies or 3horses) and this ran at 3.4t & would travel max 50mph. Yep you could wobble if windy.

Make sure your level when towing.

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Is a twin axle 14ft TA510 with the wheels at the side. Had one with the wheels under before and it was way worse. Had a right old one before that with the hard forklift tyres and it was actually all right.

I have an extra partition door to move them as far forward as I can. Worst thing ever is if they go to the back, 4 or 5 x 600+kg bullocks at the back of trailer equals brown pants.

mick the builder said:

Maybe block the front of the trailer with some straw bales if your not towing a full load?

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Na, that would be a bad idea, plus they would destroy the bales in minutes.

flat said:

I have not towed with HD springs but in a 90, unloaded on the road they are skitty and it seems to just jump over bumps rather than the shocks absorbing the bumps.

What about helper springs or something?

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Ne we heard of helper springs.


Have been looking at sway control devices tonight, that might be a bit of a help.

That's a lot of cow for a small trailer.
When 1 moves they will all move.

You can change the trailer coupling to an anti sway. Problem is you need no grease/clean tow ball to work. There are like little brake pads that lock onto the tow ball.

Hicap phill said:

That's a lot of cow for a small trailer.
When 1 moves they will all move.

You can change the trailer coupling to an anti sway. Problem is you need no grease/clean tow ball to work. There are like little brake pads that lock onto the tow ball.

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Or a bulldog style established like off caravans. Not great for bate and Dixon hitches though

Farmer Brown said:

Na, that would be a bad idea, plus they would destroy the bales in minutes.

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I'll get my coat. round here its tractors or cattle trucks for multiple animals or 1/2 animal trailers.

mick the builder said:

I'll get my coat. round here its tractors or cattle trucks for multiple animals or 1/2 animal trailers.

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Got a big tractor trailer that’ll take 10 as well but not going long distance with that.

goonarmy said:

Or a bulldog style established like off caravans. Not great for bate and Dixon hitches though

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Been looking at bulldog thing. Might be worth a try if it’ll fit my Ifor.

I have been towing cattle trailers for 45 years and if the beasts inside jump about then some swing will happen.
However to limit swing some things are quite critical,as you have noticed the vertical load on the hitch [ range in trailer manual done when empty] If you have central divider then split the load.
Tire pressure correct,both trailer and Land rover.
Correct hitch hight on Land rover More weight on trailers front wheels than back leads to swing. If your Landy has some miles on it new rear springs and shocks will help but do not expect HD springs to be a cure all. Keep speed to 50 or under.
If you can drive empty with no swing then its a case of load distrubusion.
You do not say what size or number of axles or make of trailer you have but I do think some of today's cattle trailer's are somewhat over size and in this case the tail starts wagging the dog.

tottot said:

I have been towing cattle trailers for 45 years and if the beasts inside jump about then some swing will happen.
However to limit swing some things are quite critical,as you have noticed the vertical load on the hitch [ range in trailer manual done when empty] If you have central divider then split the load.
Tire pressure correct,both trailer and Land rover.
Correct hitch hight on Land rover More weight on trailers front wheels than back leads to swing. If your Landy has some miles on it new rear springs and shocks will help but do not expect HD springs to be a cure all. Keep speed to 50 or under.
If you can drive empty with no swing then its a case of load distrubusion.
You do not say what size or number of axles or make of trailer you have but I do think some of today's cattle trailer's are somewhat over size and in this case the tail starts wagging the dog.

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It’s a ta510, 14ft twin axle with wheels at the side. I didn’t want to go bigger as I thought a 16ft triaxle would be well over 3.5t if you filled it. When empty or with an even loaded inanimate load it’s stable as. Always check tyre pressure whenever I’m doing a long run and the shocks are new all round.

I tend to load the trailer more to the front because the worst swinging I’ve ever had is when the animals go to the back and just about lift the back wheels of lr off the ground. One of guys that worked here did a full 360 once with trailer on because he loaded the trailer too heavy at the back, so not making that mistake again!

The worst swing I have had was when carrying a single large beast who decided to stand at the back. What you do next is important,slamming on the brakes is bad, just power off and keep steering the way you want to go. Some say power through the swing and I have tried it, giving myself a good scare.
Some new rear springs and bushes on the Landy may help as with dividing the load with a bias of say six beasts in the front section and five in the back

tottot said:

The worst swing I have had was when carrying a single large beast who decided to stand at the back. What you do next is important,slamming on the brakes is bad, just power off and keep steering the way you want to go. Some say power through the swing and I have tried it, giving myself a good scare.
Some new rear springs and bushes on the Landy may help as with dividing the load with a bias of say six beasts in the front section and five in the back

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I’ve been there with a bull that decided to do that. Worst I’ve ever experienced was sheep decks collapsing in back of trailer with a load of big ewes on. Dad was driving, trailer was up on 2 wheels and how it didn’t go right over I’ll never know. Trailer tyre marks were on the road for days after. Agree hitting the brakes is bad but some ppl seem to think it’s the best idea. Dad always taught me to try and accelerate just enough to keep the drawbar under load so tend to do that or I will let off gently. An bulldog anti swing kit is just over £100 so I might give one a try. Be worth the investment if it reduces sweaty palm moments.

Sway bar bushes at back are new as are A frame bushes. New springs might be an option, with there was something half way between normal springs and HD springs as do a fair bit off road and I don’t want to break my back in the road.

I might try splitting the load like that for short runs at first to see what happens.

Just having new springs can help,it did on mine.It is easy to see when old leaf springs get saggy and soft but coils give little clue,a little drop in standing hight is about it.
Have found that doing what your dad says is good if a swing develops going down hill. Cheers. John.

flat said:

I have not towed with HD springs but in a 90, unloaded on the road they are skitty and it seems to just jump over bumps rather than the shocks absorbing the bumps.

What about helper springs or something?

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If you decide to go for heavier springs on the back consider progressive springs which are soft to begin with and stiffen to HD the more load is added. That way they are ok both loaded and empty although as with everything it is compromise, so not as good at either as a dedicated spring.

I think you need to put some panels inside the trailer to stop your animals moving around, shifting their weight etc.

tottot said:

Just having new springs can help,it did on mine.It is easy to see when old leaf springs get saggy and soft but coils give little clue,a little drop in standing hight is about it.
Have found that doing what your dad says is good if a swing develops going down hill. Cheers. John.

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Have been taking a look at Landrover and have decided that the springs are shot which might be a major part of the problem. So next question is which springs...