We produce custom springs and wireforms. We do not stock standard parts.
We produce custom springs and wireforms. We do not stock standard parts.
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Custom Trailer Springs

Trailers of all types rely on high-quality springs to provide suspension, absorb road shock, and ensure stability during transport. Whether used in utility trailers, cargo haulers, or heavy-duty transport equipment, precision-engineered springs play a crucial role in performance and safety. Ace Wire Spring & Form Co., Inc. manufactures durable, custom-designed springs that meet the demanding conditions of the trailer industry.

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Custom Trailer Springs for Utility, Cargo, and Equipment Trailers

Executive Summary

Custom trailer springs are manufactured around the load, torque, movement, mounting, environmental, and production requirements of a specific trailer application. Ace Wire Spring manufactures custom torsion springs, extension springs, compression springs, and wire forms for trailer OEMs and equipment manufacturers, including ramp-assist systems, liftgates, couplers, latching mechanisms, and other trailer components. Ace also supports qualified custom manufacturing projects with spring design assistance, prototypes, material and finish considerations, and production manufacturing.

Custom Springs for Trailer OEMs & Equipment Manufacturers

Trailer springs and wire forms perform important mechanical functions throughout utility trailers, cargo trailers, enclosed trailers, equipment haulers, and other transport equipment.

Depending on the application, a spring may provide rotational assistance, return force, tension, controlled movement, counterbalance, retention, or other mechanical functions.

Ace Wire Spring & Form Co., Inc. manufactures custom springs and wire forms to customer specifications for trailer OEMs, equipment manufacturers, engineers, and purchasing teams.

Because Ace manufactures custom components rather than stocking standard trailer springs, each project can be evaluated around requirements such as:

  • Load or torque
  • Spring movement
  • Ramp or gate weight
  • Mounting geometry
  • Available space
  • Spring dimensions
  • Material
  • Environmental exposure
  • Cycle requirements
  • Quality requirements
  • Prototype needs
  • Production quantities

Our goal is to help customers establish the technical and manufacturing information required to move a custom trailer spring project toward quoting, prototyping, and production.

National Association of Trailer Manufacturers (NATM)

Ace Wire Spring & Form Co., Inc. is a member of the National Association of Trailer Manufacturers (NATM).

Our involvement with the trailer manufacturing industry helps Ace stay connected with trailer OEMs and with the safety, quality, manufacturing, and regulatory topics affecting the industry.

Ace supports trailer manufacturers with custom springs and wire forms for applications including ramp-assist systems, liftgates, couplers, latching systems, and other trailer mechanisms.

Whether the project involves a utility trailer, cargo trailer, enclosed trailer, or equipment hauler, our team works with engineering and purchasing departments to manufacture springs around the specifications and production requirements of the application.

Examples of Custom Springs We Manufacture For Trailers

Ace Wire Spring has extensive experience in delivering custom spring solutions for the trailer industry. Our springs are built for durability and performance, ensuring trailers can handle various loads and terrains with ease.

Trailer Ramp Assist Torsion Springs

Torsion springs are commonly used in trailer ramp-assist systems where rotational force helps counterbalance the weight of a ramp during opening and closing.

Important design considerations can include:

  • Ramp weight
  • Required torque
  • Degrees of rotation
  • Direction of wind
  • Spring dimensions
  • Wire diameter
  • Leg configuration
  • Mounting geometry
  • Available space
  • Cycle requirements
  • Environmental exposure

Because these factors work together, a custom ramp-assist torsion spring should be evaluated around the actual trailer mechanism rather than spring dimensions alone.

Liftgate Torsion Springs

Ace also manufactures torsion springs for liftgate applications used on work trucks, delivery vehicles, freight equipment, loading systems, and other material-handling applications.

Liftgate springs can help provide controlled rotational assistance when raising or lowering a gate.

Depending on the application, engineering considerations may include gate weight, required torque, angular movement, leg geometry, mounting position, spring dimensions, material, environmental exposure, and expected operating cycles.

Separating liftgate applications from trailer ramp applications helps ensure the spring is evaluated around the specific mechanism and operating requirements.

Coupler Extension Springs

Extension springs can be used within trailer coupler mechanisms where controlled tension or return force is required.

Important considerations can include:

  • Required load
  • Initial tension
  • Maximum extension
  • Body length
  • Hook or loop configuration
  • Available installation space
  • Material
  • Cycle requirements
  • Environmental exposure

Compression Springs for Trailer Applications

Compression springs may be used in trailer mechanisms where the application requires resistance to compressive force, controlled movement, load support, or return force.

Important design factors can include:

  • Required load at a specified length
  • Spring rate
  • Free length
  • Maximum travel
  • Solid height
  • Inside or outside diameter
  • Wire diameter
  • End configuration
  • Material
  • Operating environment

Custom Wire Forms for Trailer Components

Custom wire forms may be used in trailer latching, retention, positioning, attachment, and other mechanical applications.

Unlike a conventional coil spring, a wire form can be manufactured around a specific shape, bend configuration, mounting point, or assembly requirement.

Important considerations can include:

  • Component shape
  • Bend geometry
  • Retention requirements
  • Fit
  • Contact points
  • Material
  • Tolerances
  • Repeatability
  • Assembly requirements
  • Lift Gate Springs: Essential for assisting in the lifting and lowering of heavy trailer gates, these springs reduce manual effort and improve safety.
  • Ramp Assist Torsion Springs: Designed to assist in the lifting and lowering of trailer ramps, providing controlled movement and reducing manual effort. For more information, please view our Torsion Springs Products Page.
  • Coupler Extension Springs: Applied in trailer couplers to maintain secure connections between the trailer and towing vehicle, ensuring consistent tension and safety. For more information, please view our Extension Springs Products Page.

 

What Should Trailer Manufacturers Consider When Selecting a Spring?

Choosing a spring for a trailer application requires more than identifying the general spring type.

The spring needs to provide the correct mechanical performance while fitting within the available space and operating reliably under the conditions the trailer will encounter.

Design Factor Why It Matters
Load or torque Determines the force or rotational assistance the spring must provide
Ramp or gate weight Influences the amount of assistance required for controlled movement
Travel or rotation Defines how far the spring must compress, extend, or rotate
Spring rate Determines how spring force changes through movement
Mounting geometry Influences dimensions, leg position, hooks, loops, and attachment
Available space Limits spring diameter, length, and allowable movement
Cycle life Repeated opening and closing can make fatigue performance important
Operating environment Moisture, road salt, dirt, and debris may influence material and finish decisions
Material Influences strength, fatigue characteristics, corrosion resistance, and manufacturability
Direction of wind Important in many torsion spring applications
Production quantity Can influence prototype and manufacturing considerations
Quality requirements Inspection, documentation, and certifications should be identified before production

Custom Trailer Ramp Assist Springs

Trailer ramp-assist systems are one of the most important applications for custom torsion springs in the trailer industry.

A ramp-assist spring stores rotational energy as the ramp moves and releases that energy to help counterbalance the ramp during operation. The objective is not simply to produce a spring that fits the assembly. The spring must provide the appropriate torque through the required range of movement.

What Information Is Important for a Trailer Ramp Spring?

Useful information can include:

  • Ramp weight
  • Ramp dimensions
  • Required lifting assistance
  • Required torque
  • Degrees of rotation
  • Direction of spring wind
  • Spring inside or outside diameter
  • Body length
  • Wire diameter
  • Leg length and position
  • Mounting geometry
  • Available installation space
  • Operating environment
  • Expected operating cycles
  • Production quantity

For new or revised trailer designs, prototype evaluation can help determine whether the spring performs as intended within the actual ramp assembly.

What Causes Trailer Springs to Fail or Underperform?

Trailer springs can experience repeated movement while being exposed to outdoor and road conditions.

Potential causes of spring failure or reduced performance can include:

  • Repeated cycling and fatigue
  • Loads exceeding the intended design
  • Excessive compression, extension, or rotation
  • Corrosion
  • Exposure to road salt
  • Moisture
  • Dirt and road debris
  • Shock and vibration
  • Improper material or finish selection
  • Incorrect mounting geometry
  • Misalignment
  • Insufficient clearance
  • Stress concentrations around torsion spring legs
  • Wear around extension spring hooks or loops
  • Operating conditions that differ from the original design requirements

Understanding how the spring will be loaded, mounted, moved, cycled, and exposed during operation can help manufacturers evaluate spring requirements before custom production.

Designing Trailer Springs for Outdoor & Road Environments

Trailer components may spend much of their service life outdoors and can encounter conditions very different from components used in controlled indoor environments.

Potential exposures include:

  • Rain
  • Moisture
  • Road salt
  • Dirt
  • Road debris
  • Chemicals
  • Outdoor storage
  • Temperature changes
  • Repeated vibration
  • Shock loading
  • Frequent operating cycles

These conditions can influence decisions about spring material, finish, geometry, expected performance, and maintenance requirements.

Environmental conditions should therefore be identified during the design and RFQ process rather than after the spring has entered production.

Materials & Finishes for Custom Trailer Springs

There is no single spring material or finish that is best for every trailer application.

Material selection can depend on:

  • Required load or torque
  • Wire diameter
  • Spring geometry
  • Stress
  • Cycle requirements
  • Corrosion exposure
  • Road salt exposure
  • Moisture
  • Temperature
  • Manufacturing requirements
  • Cost considerations
  • Quality requirements

Depending on the application, potential spring materials may include carbon spring steels, stainless steels, alloy steels, and other materials.

Where corrosion or environmental exposure is a concern, the spring material and available secondary finishing options should be evaluated together.

Ace also offers secondary services that may be appropriate for specific manufacturing requirements.

Material and finish selection should be based on the complete application rather than assuming one material or coating is universally appropriate for trailer use.

Trailer Spring Design Assistance

Trailer spring projects can begin at different stages of development.

Some customers have a complete engineering drawing and defined spring specifications. Other projects may still require review of load, torque, mounting, material, or manufacturability requirements before production.

Ace provides spring design assistance as part of qualified custom spring and wire form manufacturing opportunities.

Information that can help Ace review a trailer spring project includes:

  • Engineering drawings
  • CAD files
  • Spring dimensions
  • Spring type
  • Wire diameter
  • Material
  • Required load
  • Required torque
  • Spring rate
  • Travel
  • Degrees of rotation
  • Direction of wind
  • Leg, hook, loop, or end configuration
  • Ramp or gate information
  • Mounting geometry
  • Available space
  • Environmental exposure
  • Expected cycle requirements
  • Production quantities
  • Quality requirements

The objective is to establish the technical information required to determine whether Ace can quote, prototype, and manufacture the custom component successfully.

Quality Requirements for Trailer Spring Manufacturing

Trailer OEMs and equipment manufacturers may require more than dimensional and functional compliance.

Depending on the project, customers may need requirements such as:

  • Certificates of conformance
  • Material certifications
  • First article inspection
  • Process specifications
  • Customer-specific inspection requirements
  • Traceability
  • Other quality documentation

Quality requirements should be identified during the RFQ process so they can be evaluated before quoting and production.

Custom vs. Stock Springs for Trailer Applications

Stock springs can be appropriate when an existing standard spring already satisfies the dimensional, mechanical, environmental, and production requirements of an application.

Custom spring manufacturing becomes valuable when a trailer mechanism requires a specific combination of:

  • Load
  • Torque
  • Spring rate
  • Dimensions
  • Travel
  • Rotation
  • Leg configuration
  • Hook or loop design
  • Material
  • Environmental resistance
  • Tolerances
  • Quality requirements
  • Production quantities

Ace Wire Spring manufactures custom springs and wire forms to customer specifications and does not stock standard trailer replacement springs.

 

Trailer applications can use torsion springs, extension springs, compression springs, and custom wire forms. The appropriate spring type depends on whether the application requires rotational assistance, tension, compression force, return movement, counterbalance, retention, or another mechanical function.

Trailer ramp-assist springs help counterbalance the weight of a trailer ramp during opening and closing. Torsion springs are commonly used because they can store and release rotational energy as the ramp moves.

A torsion spring resists rotational movement and stores energy as it is wound. Within a properly designed ramp-assist system, that stored energy can provide torque that helps counterbalance the ramp during movement. The required spring depends on factors such as ramp weight, mounting geometry, degrees of rotation, and desired assistance.

Important factors can include ramp weight, required torque, degrees of rotation, direction of wind, spring dimensions, leg configuration, mounting geometry, available space, cycle requirements, material, environmental exposure, and production quantities.

Extension springs may be used in trailer coupler mechanisms where controlled tension or return force is required. The appropriate spring depends on required load, initial tension, extension, available space, hook or loop configuration, material, and operating conditions.

Depending on the application, custom trailer springs may be manufactured from carbon spring steels, stainless steels, alloy steels, or other spring materials. Material selection should consider required load or torque, stress, cycle life, corrosion exposure, road conditions, temperature, geometry, and manufacturing requirements.

Material selection and secondary finishes can be evaluated when road salt, moisture, or other corrosive conditions are expected. The appropriate approach depends on the spring material, geometry, operating environment, mechanical requirements, and production specifications.

Potential factors include fatigue, overloading, excessive movement, corrosion, road salt, wear, vibration, shock, incorrect mounting, insufficient clearance, material selection, or stress concentrations. Evaluating the complete application can help identify these considerations before production.

Yes. Ace manufactures custom springs and wire forms to customer specifications for qualified manufacturing projects. Trailer OEMs can provide drawings, CAD files, application requirements, load or torque specifications, environmental requirements, production quantities, and quality requirements for review.

Yes. Ace offers prototype and sample production options for qualified custom spring and wire form projects. Prototypes can help manufacturers evaluate fit, function, load, torque, travel, mounting, clearance, and other requirements before approving larger production quantities.

Ace provides spring design assistance as part of qualified custom manufacturing opportunities. Customers can submit drawings, CAD files, spring specifications, load or torque requirements, mounting information, environmental conditions, production quantities, and other application information for review.

Provide as much information as possible, including drawings or CAD files, spring type, dimensions, material, load or torque requirements, travel or rotation, mounting information, environmental exposure, production quantities, prototype requirements, and quality requirements.

No. Ace Wire Spring manufactures custom springs and wire forms to customer specifications. We do not stock standard trailer replacement springs.

Quality Manufacturing

“Our company is committed to delivering top-quality manufacturing, utilizing advanced technology, premium-grade materials, and rigorous quality control processes to ensure every spring meets the highest standards of performance and reliability.”

Quick Turn Around

“Our streamlined processes and efficient production capabilities enable us to provide quick turnarounds, ensuring your springs are delivered on time to keep your operations running smoothly.”

Competitive Pricing

“We pride ourselves on offering competitive pricing, ensuring our customers receive exceptional value without compromising on quality or performance.”

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