spring shackle bolts and bushings

[hbowers]

I have a 2000 alfa ideal 5th wheel 31 ft. that I purchased in 01. the spring bolts were greaseable, but I could'nt get them to take grease so I ignored them for several years hoping they would go away and they almost did.

Iwas repacking the wheel bearings and decided to replace all the bolts and bushings. I even had to replace the equalizers. see picture if I can figure out how to send it.

 

[JMetzger]

I have found that on my 32ft RV that if I jack up the trailer a little it takes the weight off the springs & related parts, I have no problem getting them to take grease but if I leave the weight on the springs I sometimes can not get them to take grease. Just my experience.

 

[LBARTLETT]

good picture & post hbowers, glad things didn't come loose going down the road, some of those bushings are toast, JMetzger is right regarding weight and it's effects, I have to move the bucket on my tractor different ways to get the pressure off the different zerks to get them to take grease, very seldom have I found truly plugged zerks, it usually is more related to pressure on the zerk point in my experience, a excellent reminder to us all to do our maint. , I really do hate to get greasy so I try to grease everything at one time around the place, usually pretty mad by the time I get done!!

 

[Slow Six]

I replaced mine with the Dexter EZ Flex. Kit comes with all the straps, bushings,bolts, is greaseable and a major improvement in ride quality. Probably one of the best upgrades I have done.

 

[hbowers]

thanks for the replys. I should have known to jack the weight off the springs. I guess I had another dumb attact. I know now thanks jmetzger. I replaced mine w/nylon bushings. thats what the redneck trailer parts supplier sold and reccomended.

I wanted to let everyone know what can happen if you neglect greasing them.

 

[B.G. Smith]

I see a couple of bolts that are in more than one piece??? Did they break in service? I have done the jack up before and sometimes if a jack is not handy you cah loosen the nut and turn the bolt a little and get it to take grease, the jacking up is best though I think. bg

 

[MoparDave]

Dam Chinese parts!!!

 

[Buffalo]

I installed the Dexter HD Suspension Kit on my Nash 25-S, a few years ago. The nylon bushings were worn out & there was metal to metal contact that was audible. Whenever I would back up the trailer to its parking spot on the side of my house, I would have to climb a very short curb. That was where I would here a metalic cracking sound.



I read about this problem on AFNASH.com where they discussed the problem & how to fix it. The fix definately worked on my trailer. I can't believe they put nylon/plastic bushings on a trailer suspension!!! What junk!!!



If your trailer is more than 5 years old & has a bit of mileage, on it, & you start to hear metalic clunking, That's probably your problem. I thought the sound was the trailer hitch set-up "torqueing" when stressed but, that was not the case.



The AFNASH.com site has been VERY helpful & informative, to me.



Joe F.

 

[Bob4x4]

Even big rig trailers use plastic/nylon bushings. When lubed on a regular pm schedule they are much better than the old bronze IMHO.

 

[Buffalo]

Hi BOB 4X4,



Long time, no see!!! How are you?



Thanks for your reply. I had no idea that the plastic/nylon bushings were a superior product to the brass/copper bushings. My original set-up had no provisions for greasing other than completely taking the suspension apart. That would be quite a project!!!



What's interesting is that, the Dexter Heavy Duty Suspension Kit comes with the 'metal' bushings & not the plastic/nylon ones. All the bolts & things that need to be greased have Zerk fittings, on them. The cheap version of the Dexter suspension (stock on trailer) has only the plastic/nylon, non-greasable, parts.



My suspension only lasted about five years. Is there a way to lube the plastic/nylon parts so that they will last longer? The metal bushings sure LOOK stronger than the plastic ones.



BTW, my plastic/nylon bushings looked very much like the original posters bushings when I replaced them. They were all dried up & disintegrated.



Joe F.

 

[hbowers]

yes B. G. smith those two bolts broke in service. one was in the right rear spring, the other was in the center of left side equalizer. I'm lucky I caught it at home instead of halfway to Branson Mo. or somewhere.

 

[JMetzger]

I replaced mine with the Dexter kit. It had brass or bronze bushings. I did that several years ago & I grease them every trip. If I go to our sons in CT I grease them when I leave Gardnerville, NV & before I leave South Windsor, CT. Grease is cheap insurance.

 

[Bob4x4]

The bushings on the big rigs are much beefier than what the lil trailers are running. The small trailer axles are built cheap as well as the suspension around themTo bad you can't spec out the suspension when you have one built

 

[CumminsPower98]

In my experience the plastic bushings are junk. I have maintained a fleet of ten trailers used in river rafting for the last 11+ years. Six of them are about 42' long (built two myself). All trailers have the wet bolts installed and those plastic bushings do not last nearly as well as the bronze ones.


The key to keeping the grease flowing is to do it regularly so it doesn't get hard packed in the small galley way of the bolts. I also try to position the outlet hole such that it doesn't have pressure on it from the bushing so it will flow with weight on the trailer. If they won't flow I jack them up. The knurled bolts don't seem to stay tight too long in the side plates so I get everything lined up the way I want it including the 90 deg. zerks and then weld the heads to the plates. This way the outlet holes stay in place and the zerks stays where you can get the gun on them every time.

 

[MLee]

Just wondering about the mentioned procedures on the wet bolts, when you guys installed them did you put the grease hole on the bottom when the install was done? This is now in the write ups how to install.



Have you seen the new self wheel alignment brackets thats listed in the current Trailer Life mag? to center up the axles.

 

[Bater]

Worn bolts and missing bushings.

Looks like a good thread to put a picture on.



I just had a heavy truck and trailer shop replace spring shackle bolts for me, because I suspected they were worn. Everything else was on this old gooseneck.



Yea, it's something that I could probably do myself, but I figured it would be smart to have a second set of eyes look things over. (They were also able to do a DOT inspection of the rig. )



The bolts were very worn, and the bushings, basically vaporized!



Andy

 

[HBarlow]

Looks like a good thread to put a picture on.

I just had a heavy truck and trailer shop replace spring shackle bolts for me, because I suspected they were worn. Everything else was on this old gooseneck.

Yea, it's something that I could probably do myself, but I figured it would be smart to have a second set of eyes look things over. (They were also able to do a DOT inspection of the rig. )

The bolts were very worn, and the bushings, basically vaporized!

Andy

That is probably what would be revealed in many if not half of the RV trailers on the roads if their suspension components were disassembled.

 

[khalsey]

I was at a rally at Goshen, IN last year and a sales rep. had some of there "NEVERFAIL BUSHINGS" and I was somwhat impressed but haven't bought any yet and there company is only 12 miles from my house. I already have the wet bolts on my Landmark. Here is the link in case anyone is interested. www.riecotitan.com

 

[HBarlow]

I looked at their website. The bushings seem a little expensive. I wonder how well they work?