7700 Hutchens Trailer Suspension:

[1693TA]

Has anyone worked on this old series? My old tandem drop deck has this suspension with the two bolts/sleeves running through the rocker bushings which identifies the series of suspension. I have new front, and rear spring hangers along with new torque arms of both the rigid, and adjustable types. The springs, and all hardware appears to be good yet. Rust has perforated the side plates of the front hangers and tie bars, and I'm sure there is wear from the springs bearing upon the slide pads, so going to replace them also. Pertaining to the original quest, I don't know if I should upgrade to the later 9700 series rockers and rocker hangers or not. They are physically a little larger in bearing surface and require no maintenance, or retorque though their respective service lives. These are the only differing parts from the 7700 series.

 

[Truck Shop]

Worked on allot of 7700 series, just use what you have. Unless it was to get real high mileage/
use, It's not worth the time to cut out replace the center hanger.

 

[1693TA]

Worked on allot of 7700 series, just use what you have. Unless it was to get real high mileage/
use, It's not worth the time to cut out replace the center hanger.

Thanks man. That is the direction I was leaning, but haven't fully evaluated yet for wear.

 

[1693TA]

Ran out to the shop a few minutes ago and reinforced that my memory is failing. In a former "cruise box" I had while in the military, is a complete, (minus springs) 7700 suspension for a trailer I never built. Meritor, and Euclid branded parts. Everything seems to be there and like a lot of things around there, any horizontal surface is something to pile other stuff onto..... I do have replacement rockers and mounts, but cannot remember the axle spacing.

Some time ago I had a neck from a ground bearing Rogers RGN trailer, and the front "hooks" cut from the trailer deck beams. The trailer main beams were rusted beyond reasonable repair and one axle was bent from collision so this was scrapped. IIRC, the neck turned out to not be "square" so it was parted and scrapped also. That has been over 20 years past so forgot a few things along the way.

 

[Truck Shop]

98% were 52" but there were some with the odd 50" spacing pretty uncommon. Only place
I've seen it was on two Heil smooth bore trailers vintage 70's.

 

[1693TA]

I'll measure and compare to charts for the suspension on the desk computer. That rgn trailer was a tandem but no provision for a pin on third. I would say it was either 50's or 60's build as not common any longer when I was coming up. No taper at all from lower deck to rear bolster areas. No taper on approach end of deck either that I remember.

 

[1693TA]

Today I ordered the new bolts and fasteners for the suspension which is the eight bolts for the torque rods and respective hardware, and the four bolts with sleeves/hardware for the equalizers. Truck parts supplier has everything on the shelf if I need anything additional. Supposed to snow tonight so may not go any further till next week but planning to bridle to the trailer main frame and roll it over onto it's back with my winch truck. May use "Fred" and his winch so the impact against the ground is not so heavy, but nothing would be hurt regardless. Other thought is to bring the trailer up onto it's side, crib up to keep it from rolling, switch winching positions, and push it over center with the skid steer allowing the winch cable to ease it to the ground. It will be a lot easier to replace the spring hangers with the trailer rolled over. Also going to cut the 4.00"X.750" tension strip free from the lower frame rail as it's starting to rust jack and either replace with new after blasting, or repair the area and reinstall. It's not bad but if not repaired now will get worse quickly. I have new strip purchased for the purpose.

Ran over to the steel supplier and picked up three feet of 2X2 square, solid hot roll and dropped this off at the machine shop to have spindle ends duplicated from the former axle under my portable air compressor that froze a bearing last year destroying the original. I have plenty of 2.5" square .250" wall tube to make the axle tube from as I did with the replacement axle currently installed. However, I want to reinstall the original old steel hubs and wheels with inset mounting and will repurpose this replacement axle under my portable welder to get it more usable for me; then laying serious thought to selling off my old Hobart engine drive machine.

Replacement axle trial built up to get the air compressor mobile again. This is 2.50", .250" wall square tubing and a pair of 7K trailer idler axle spindles and hubs:



By the time it was all welded together, assembled, and aligned under the trailer for proper tracking, it works well. However the bearing caps protrude outside the fender edges and are a genuine shins popper. Photo is prior to final alignment before the new square tube axle retaining bolts, (u-bolts) arrived:



I've pulled this several miles to several jobs since the repairs and it tracks well behind "Krusty".

This is a beam I built up to skid the compressor up onto a trailer after losing the wheel bearing and wheel assembly as I was almost stopped:



I noticed the wheel flopping around in the mirror, got the truck stopped and was backing about seven feet into a field access entrance when the wheel separated from the spindle. I jacked the compressor up, extracted the wheel from underneath and headed to the shop fabricating this skid beam and with this and a couple of welder's "F" clamps clamping the assembly to the axle beam, skidded it up onto the trailer deck with a winch later that evening. Worked pretty well really. Next day, ordered pieces parts to fabricate repairs you see here.

 

[1693TA]

After winching up onto trailer deck and tying down:



Back at the shop and set onto/chained to my scrap trailer to carry on finishing the remote job till I could receive and fabricate replacement parts:



Lot easier to work with as the compressor hangs from the gantry crane:



Back onto wheels and mobile again. This is currently where it's at and once the spindles are completed at the machine shop the original items will go back under this compressor. The current, or replacement axle will be cut down, sleeved and welded back together at the correct track width for the Hobart welder making it more portable and usable for me.

 

[1693TA]

Wanting to get this one easier to use for me. Have set it in the bed of "Krusty" many times for mobile work but will be so much easier once on running gear:

 

[1693TA]

New suspension hardware arrived at the shop after I'd departed early yesterday. Prior to leaving and seeing snow in the forecast and cold weather following, I fired off the old IH truck with just a sniff of ether and moved the trailer up closer to the shop. I can at least get to it now even if snowed in.

Rust jacking to the left side rail is much worse than the right side but still not much compromise to the lower beam I see easily. I do think that tension strip will go into the scrap pile however after looking at it and once cut free will not be usable again. New box of cutoff wheels and hard grinding wheels will arrive tomorrow, (Walter Brand) so will probably cut the welds dropping this prior to repositioning and rolling the trailer over.

Have new landing gear to install too. Selection of either a new pair of "Holland" two speed, or "PowerPacker" hydraulic that I've proven good from another trailer. Nothing wrong with the original gear except the sand shoes are rotten on both sides but they work well. Never can remember to order new shoes and pins however.....

 

[1693TA]

Far too much snow and drifting to get much anything done outside here. Got stuck twice in "Krusty" because of the ice under the snow at the shop.

Dragged out the hard suspension parts I have for the trailer suspension shown here:



Red parts are "Meritor" branded with black ones "Euclid" branded. Equalizer stands are also aftermarket and labeled "World American" but all look to be good quality. Bolt and bushing kits are "Automann" branded which is a new one on me but they look to be of good quality matching the originals. I will have to wait a few days before getting back onto this project as it's going to be a bit cold out.

 

[1693TA]

Just received the equalizer bolt and sleeve kits so can now commence work on this trailer. Starting to dry out a bit so hitched up and moved things out front. Got a couple small blasting jobs to do and paint then will jump back onto this trailer. Old 6V-92TA engine fired right off easily.




Replace rusted crap like this:



Don't know how much of the replacement parts I'll use on this trailer but have everything needed except leaf springs and none of these are broken so hopefully things are still serviceable.