Independent suspensions do not have this connection between opposing wheels ; therefore , what happens to one wheel will have little effect on the others . This greatly improves handling , particularly in rough conditions ; however , in order to support heavy loads , the suspension has to be strong and requires dampening in the form of shock absorbers . This makes them more complicated and more expensive than solid-axle arrangements .
WHAT IS LOAD-SHARING ?
Load-sharing is where the load of any vehicle is distributed across its wheels . The more wheels / axles , the heavier the trailer can be as there are more wheels to support the weight .
Simple solid axles ready for fitting to a new caravan chassis .
European caravans are vastly different to those made here !
As a rule , this weight is not evenly distributed and this distribution will change as the trailer moves , particularly when pitching front to back . This is not an issue with single-axle configurations but , in the case of a dual-axle trailer , if the axles are close together , the difference in weight can change quite dramatically . This is why the Australian Design Rules for light trailers under 4500kg state :
All axles in a group must be interconnected by load-sharing suspension , except for the following configurations :
• Where the two axles in a group have their centres not more than 1,000mm apart .
• Where the three axles in a group have their centres not more than 2,000mm apart .
• Where the four ( or more ) axles have their centres not more than 3,200mm apart .
When it comes to choosing an axle configuration , you shouldn ’ t don ’ t need to worry about this as the manufacturer will be aware of these requirements and build the caravan accordingly .
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