My Public Apology To Dexter Corporation

[HBarlow]

Some of you may have read my comments a week or so ago where I reported my disappointment with early failure of Dexter EZ-Flex rubber bumper equalizers I had installed on my HitchHiker fifth wheel a few months after I bought it. I reported that after only one years of use (although lots of miles) it was discovered that the bushings had worn and the company I bought them from removed them and replaced them with a brand I consider inferior. My contact at Young's Welding, frame supplier to NuWa Industries, told me they were worn and that they had experienced similar failures on more than one trailer. I have trust and confidence in NuWa and Young's Welding so I accepted his statement and assumed Dexter had made an error with a new product and would soon correct it.

Two years have passed and I really hadn't thought about it until I made that post. I was puzzled that I had never read or heard anything about Dexter revising the product so last night I sent an e-mail to Dexter inquiring if they had corrected their error and offered a new product.

This morning early I got a call on my cell phone from the Product Engineer at Dexter. He was unaware of any problem and politely explained that Youngs' Welding may have installed the EZ-Flex equalizers rated for up to 6,000 lb. on my trailer instead of the 8,000 lb. rated parts. My trailer has 7,000 lb. axles.

The engineer asked if I wanted to return to Dexter products which, of course, I do. He asked me to send him the center to center measurement of my tandem axles and said he'll ship me a replacement set of EZ-Flex equalizers at no charge.

You can't beat a company like Dexter! My confidence is restored.

 

[CUMMINZ]

Has always been a great product. If you grease them they will last.

#ad

 

[HBarlow]

Cumminz,

Speaking of spouting off your mouth, if you go back and read my post in the other thread about Dexter you will find that it is only you spouting off your mouth here and now.

My comments simply reported what happened, what I was told by my contact at Young's Welding, expressed my general overall support for Dexter Corp, and expressed disappointment that the EZ Flex equalizers installed on my trailer lasted only a year.

I don't know why your panties are twisted now but you are mistaken when you accuse me of criticizing Dexter. Doubt me? Go back and read my earlier posts.

 

[AClayton]

Cumminz,



Oh man,you're going to get it now! I think quite a few of us have had a run-in with ole' HB. I always overlook the highly opinionated propaganda and use only the good tech info provided by him. Nobody can mistake his years of experience in towing and knowing all the laws associated with doing so legally,however,the overly opinionated chatter that follows can be overwhelming at times. I take it at face value and respect HB as a friend on here at TDR.



I remember when I was interested in purchasing my Keystone Raptor and heard of all the horror stories about how they're built and sub-standard materials used in construction and other things. Harvey continues to bash them and after owning this unit for almost 5 mos. and several long-distanced trips,the only thing that has failed thus far is the Cummins/Onan genset... ... ironically enough! Just took it to the dealer this morning where they had to remove the genset from the unit and bench test it. It needs an entire new bottom belly pan and new gasket ... ... they also found a shop rag forced up into the air intake grill INSIDE the generator. That most likely,according to them,caused the overheating issue and ultimately warped the belly pan ... . which caused the serious oil leak and smoke I have been complaining about.



My frame on my trailer seems very stout also..... I have made consistent full 90* turns and have rolled the last axle tires to one side while driving the front axle tires the exact opposite direction. I'm no expert but that seems to me to be very stressful on spring mounting hardware... ... and nothing has broke or been stressed yet. Anyway... . I am interested in learning if Dexter makes a set of these for a triple-axle trailer. Going to go online and research it... ... think these will help my trailer ride a bit better.





Alan

 

[HBarlow]

Yep, there's no doubt that I'm pretty opinionated. But you should also notice that I try to differentiate what is clearly my opinion from what I know to be a fact.

You might also have noticed when I have expressed a less than sterling opinion of an
RV product, like Keystone trailers, how often Grizzly backs up my opinion with the opinion stated in his RV industry product rating manuals.

 

[AH64ID]

I haven't heard of these before. Do you feel they are worth the investment? Any tangible results?

 

[jelag]

I've read most of Harveys Posts, and a lot of posts by Cumminz, and sometimes I agree and sometimes I don't agree but respect each of them for their feelings and their ability to express themselves well... . So at times I agree to disagree some times... . I own several commercial trailers, all of them have Dexter Axles... and to be honest the stuff used on their axles when you buy the axle new, we pitch out and upgrade to their better stuff... .

Its not the quality it should be for commercial use, even though they say it will work... and we own a few sets of their 12,000 lb disc brake axles and finding parts at any of their distributors when your on the road is something that just don't happen... ... we just finally started to stock the parts ourselves and have shipped pads, rotors, caliper kits to our guys in the field to cover the repairs... Their disc brakes grab and work like nothing we've ever used... . but the heat cooks the boots off the calipers in less than a years service here in the Northwest...

But this is really about Harveys ability to say what he thinks and if he's wrong he's willing to retract what he said and off his apologies... something I also respect... . I do accept all of you for who you are, and understand that at times the heat of the moment makes all of say a few words me might not have said when we were more com... .

That's my 2 cents worth... . thanks for listening. .

 

[HBarlow]

I haven't heard of these before. Do you feel they are worth the investment? Any tangible results?

Here is Dexter webpage:
Dexter Axle - Trailer Axles and Running Gear Components - E-Z Flex Suspension

Like with most products, the consumer can read and consider the manufacturer's claims and decide for himself. I think the product does what it claims, absorbs a little of the shock felt by the trailer and then by the tow vehicle when the trailer runs over potholes, concrete expansion strips, etc.

They are not real expensive. I think I paid Young's Welding something like $500 for parts and labor to install them on my trailer.

Some manufacturers are installing or offering them as an option on new trailers now.

 

[NIsaacs]

I would love to have about a 26 foot goose neck flatbed trailer with the Dexter AirFlex system and eight K axles w/ 12 1/4 X 3 3/8 brakes.



Don't ask why, with my current job I don't have time for trucking. They just look yummy!! Maybe when I retire I can do it part time. Trucking full time I would go broke too fast



Nick

 

[HBarlow]

I love high quality mechanical parts and systems also. Some of us simply appreciate good mechanical products for what they are, even if we can't afford them or don't need them.

 

[B.G. Smith]

I would say if you have a treailer with tandem axles and you put considerable mileage on it yearly, that conversion would be worth the cost just to get the greasable pins. Last fifth wheel I had, after two or rhree years of use I replaced the bushings in the suspension, they were completely worn out, gone. bg

 

[mwilson]

Can't beat the price directly from Dexter IMHO...



33" kit for $88. 67



35" kit for $116. 00



I am ordering a set soon, looks like a good inexpensive upgrade to me.

 

[AH64ID]

Can't beat the price directly from Dexter IMHO...



33" kit for $88. 67



35" kit for $116. 00



I am ordering a set soon, looks like a good inexpensive upgrade to me.

95% of my camping is on dirt/gravel/logging roads. . These are now on my short list!

 

[Newt]

I would say if you have a treailer with tandem axles and you put considerable mileage on it yearly, that conversion would be worth the cost just to get the greasable pins. Last fifth wheel I had, after two or rhree years of use I replaced the bushings in the suspension, they were completely worn out, gone. bg

If all you want is greaseable bushings, Dexter makes a kit for that too.



Newt

 

[HBarlow]

I received the replacement set of Dexter EZ Flex rubber bumper equalizers via UPS today just as the product engineer at Dexter promised.

Now all I have to do is remove the Trail-Air parts and install the Dexter EZ Flex.

When exchanging phone calls with Dexter a couple of days ago I provided the part numbers stamped in my axles and Dexter confirmed that they are 7,000 lb. rated axles with the big Dexter brakes and never lube bearings

 

[Wooter]

Dexter - products

I have had nothing but good results whenever I called or communicated with their people. Either they had an answer or sent me to someone that did.

On several items that were beyond 5 yrs old, I called and they replaced them at no charge. Heck, I have bought items that failed when new, and the companies wanted me to pay for a replacement part!!



It didn't take me very long to take back any complaint that I had made about

DEXTER



We have owned a Holiday Rambler Alumalite 5th wheel (98 model bought new) - Every thing was fixed by them when we had a problem, and we have looked at a lot of others:

None of them are perfect and some of the imperfections are pretty obvious just by making a walkaround them.



FYI

 

[Deleted member 995608]

HB, . . . . . I would have told you to hit the road.



The mistake was made on your end and Dexter is responsible?

 

[CUMMINZ]

JH- Some folks want something for nothing and they want the Man to pay for it. :-{}

 

[ChrisOlson]

I will be buying a set of Dexter EZ flex soon for my old junky Fifth wheel forest river toy hauler, there has been good information about ordering the right part for my trailer i will double check the part numbers again to make sure I got the right ones for my trailer it is even sweeter that i will be buying from an American Company whose assembly workers are represented by the international association of machinists and aerospace workers.
it is very nice to know that Dexter will standby their product even if it is not their fault.
i am confident that these EZ FLEX will give me a long service life just like my 2000 forest river.

I cant wait.

Chris Olson