Chassis and Running Gear
Trailer and Van Suspension Service: Leaf Spring, Torsion and Air Ride
Typical range
$400 to $6,500
Shop hours
2 to 25
Labor rate
$260/hr
The short answer
Suspension service covers leaf spring, equalizer, shackle, torsion axle, and air ride repair on trailers, vans, and truck chassis. Work runs $400 to $6,500, or 2 to 25 hours at $260 per hour plus parts. Upgrades to wet bolt and heavy duty equalizer kits included.
01
What this work actually involves
The Southern California freeway network is unusually hard on trailer suspension. The concrete expansion joints on the 91, the 15, the 5, and the 10 deliver a repeating impulse at highway speed, and a tandem axle trailer on a stock leaf pack with dry bolt shackles absorbs every one of them through the equalizer. What we see, over and over, is elongated shackle holes, a worn-oval equalizer, and one leaf pack that has flattened more than the other. By the time an owner notices, the axles are out of parallel and the tires are wearing on the inside edge.
The single most valuable upgrade on a tandem trailer is a wet bolt and bronze bushing kit with a heavy duty equalizer. Factory dry bolts run steel on steel with no grease path, so they wear and then hammer. Wet bolts with grease zerks and bronze bushings hold their fit far longer and can be maintained rather than replaced. On a rig that runs the grade out of Big Bear Lake or hauls to Lancaster and Palmdale regularly, that upgrade pays for itself in tire life alone.
Torsion axles are a different animal. There is no serviceable spring, no equalizer, and no adjustment. The rubber cords inside the tube take a permanent set over time, ride height drops, and the only fix is a new axle. Owners are frequently told their torsion axle can be rebuilt. It cannot, at least not economically. What we can do is measure the current ride height against specification and tell you honestly whether you are looking at replacement now or in two seasons.
Systems and brands we work on: Dexter, AL-KO, Lippert, MORryde.
Location: All work is performed at our Yorba Linda facility. We do not offer mobile, roadside, or fleet route service.
02
What the job includes
- Leaf spring pack replacement and re-arching assessment
- Equalizer replacement including heavy duty and shock-absorbing designs
- Wet bolt, bronze bushing, and grease-path conversion kits
- Shackle, hanger, and hanger weld repair or replacement
- Torsion axle ride height measurement and axle replacement
- Shock absorber replacement on trailer and van chassis
- Air ride component service on air-sprung trailers and van chassis
- Axle alignment check and correction for parallel and toe
- U-bolt, tie plate, and center pin replacement
- Suspension upgrade consultation for heavy tow and toy hauler use
03
When you need this service
- Inside or outside edge tire wear on a trailer that tracks straight
- A trailer that sways, wanders, or feels loose behind the tow vehicle
- Visible sag on one side, or a fender gap that differs left to right
- Metallic clunking or banging over expansion joints and driveway transitions
- Elongated, oval-shaped holes at the shackles or equalizer when inspected
- A leaf spring with a broken or shifted leaf, or a missing center pin
- A torsion axle trailer sitting visibly lower than it did when new
04
How we do it, step by step
- 01
Loaded and unloaded inspection
Suspension inspected with the trailer supported and again with weight on it. Some wear only shows under load, and some clearances only show unloaded.
- 02
Wear measurement
Shackle and equalizer holes measured rather than eyeballed, spring arch compared side to side, and torsion axle ride height measured against specification.
- 03
Axle alignment check
Axle parallelism and toe measured against the coupler centerline, because a tandem with one axle out of parallel eats tires no matter what else is replaced.
- 04
Findings and upgrade options
Photographed findings priced, with the wet bolt and heavy duty equalizer upgrade quoted alongside the like-for-like repair so you can compare real numbers.
- 05
Hanger and frame repair
Cracked hanger welds and elongated hanger holes repaired by certified welding before new suspension components go on, since a new spring on a cracked hanger fails fast.
- 06
Component replacement
Springs, equalizers, bolts, bushings, and shocks installed to torque specification, with grease paths purged and verified on wet bolt conversions.
- 07
Realign and road verify
Axles realigned, ride height verified, fasteners re-torqued after settling, and the trailer checked for tracking before it goes back to you.
05
Pricing and posted rates
| Item | Rate or range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Typical job range | $400 to $6,500 | Varies with extent of damage and parts availability |
| Shop hours | 2 to 25 | Quoted after teardown, not before |
| Mechanical and electrical labor | $260 per hour | 2026 posted rate |
| Parts | 100% markup under $100, 35% over | Special order parts require a non refundable deposit at order |
| Deposit | 50% at authorization over $2,000 | Additional 25% when parts arrive on jobs over $10,000 |
| Sales tax | 7.75% on parts and materials | Labor is not taxed |
Insurance billed jobs may be billed at carrier negotiated labor rates that differ from the posted retail rates above. See all posted rates.
07
Vehicles we do this work on
Vehicle
Travel Trailers
A travel trailer tows from a ball hitch behind the tow vehicle rear axle on an A-frame tongue, which makes it the most sway-prone
Vehicle
Standard Fifth Wheels
A fifth wheel couples to a hitch in the truck bed through a kingpin and pin box, with a raised forward bedroom over the truck. The
Vehicle
Toy Hauler Trailers
A bumper pull toy hauler carries cargo behind the axles on a ball hitch, which is the worst possible combination for tongue weight
Vehicle
Toy Hauler Fifth Wheels
A toy hauler fifth wheel carries a cargo garage behind the axles with a full-height rear ramp door. Load behind the axle centerlin
Vehicle
Utility Trailers
A utility trailer is an open deck on a welded frame with fenders, a ramp gate, and lighting, and it fails through deck rot, frame
Vehicle
Sprinter Vans
Mercedes Sprinter vans run last-mile routes, trade service, and camper conversions across Southern California. Sliding door tracks
Vehicle
Box Trucks
Box trucks put a separately built cargo body on a cab chassis, and the joint between them is where most failures start. Rear frame
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Questions about suspension service, leaf torsion and air ride
Frequently asked questions
How much does trailer suspension work cost?
Suspension service runs $400 to $6,500, or 2 to 25 hours at $260 per hour plus parts. Replacing a set of shackles and bushings on a single axle sits near the low end. A full tandem rebuild with new spring packs, heavy duty equalizers, a complete wet bolt conversion, shocks, and hanger weld repair sits at the high end.
Are wet bolts worth the upgrade?
On any tandem that sees real freeway miles, yes. Factory dry bolts run steel on steel with no way to introduce grease, so they wear oval and then hammer the hanger holes. Wet bolts with bronze bushings can be greased and maintained, and they hold alignment far longer. The payback usually shows up first in tire wear.
Can a torsion axle be rebuilt?
Not economically. The rubber cords inside the tube take a permanent set and there is no serviceable adjustment. When ride height has dropped below specification, the axle is replaced. We measure the actual ride height and give you the number against spec so you can decide whether to do it now or plan for it.
Why is my trailer wearing tires on the inside edge?
Most often axle misalignment or a bent axle, sometimes a worn spring pack letting one side settle. Inside edge wear specifically points at excessive positive camber or a toe error. We measure axle parallelism and toe against the coupler centerline rather than assuming, because replacing tires without correcting the geometry just buys you another set of the same wear.
Do you work on motorhome chassis suspension?
We service suspension components on motorhome, van, and truck chassis, including springs, shocks, air springs, and mounting structure. We do not perform engine, drivetrain, or transmission work of any kind, and we do not perform DOT inspections. If a repair falls outside our scope we will tell you plainly rather than take the vehicle in.
09
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More chassis and running gear work
Ready to move on suspension service, leaf torsion and air ride? Bring it to Yorba Linda.