If the cylinder that raises and lowers the idler wheel on the Hydra 985 is double acting, what are the big springs for?
The torsion springs that operate between the lower “A” frame of the idler wheel and the front frame member, are designed as a redundant safety feature. They are there to insure that the idler wheel can never “bleed” down while the trailer is in transit. The springs are designed to hold the entire weight of the idler wheel in position, even if the cylinder was totally disconnected from the system. The only way the idler wheel can come down is under power.
